Virgin of the Unfading Rose - exhibited at the Temple Gallery, specialists in Russian icons

Z005. Virgin of the Unfading Rose. 

Inscription: ΜΗΡ ΘΟΥ (Mother of God), IC XC (Jesus Christ), Ο ΩΝ (The One Who Is)

Greek, 18th century
Panel: 42.2 x 29.4 cm Click here to convert metric size to imperial
£4,500 [Sold]Click here to convert price to USD or EUR

[ Click on any image for a larger view ]

Scroll held by angels from the Akathistos Hymn): ΡΟΔΟΝ ΤΟ ΑΜΑΡΑΝΤΟΝ ΧΑΙΡΕ Η ΜΟΝΗ ΒΛΑ[ΣΤΗΣΑΣΑ] (The Unfading Rose hail to the only one that sprouted…). Symbols around the Virgin and Child depict the epithets used for the Virgin in the Akathistos Hymn: κλίμαξ (ladder), πόκος (lamb's wool), ὁδός (road), πύλην (gate), ληχνία (lamp), βάτος (bush), λαβῆ (handle), ράβδος (crosier), λίθος (stone), ὄρος (mountain)

The epithet 'Unfading Rose' comes from the 6th century Akathyst hymn to the Virgin attributed to Romanos the Melodist. An important example, dating from 1790 and regarded as the prototype, is in the monastery of the Transfiguration at Meteora (Megalo Meteoron) in Thessaly. The icon later became popular and widely venerated throughout Greece and especially on the island of Cyprus. Both the Virgin and Christ are shown in imperial regalia with two angels on clouds above holding a scroll. The rose held by the Virgin is a reference to the refrain on the 7th Eikos of the Akathyst hymn wherein we name Mary the 'flower of incorruption', recognising the miraculous nature of Christ's virgin birth. It also refers to troparia in the First and Seventh Odes of the Canon of the Akathist hymn. In these troparia we praise the Mother of God, singing 'Rejoice, O thou alone who hast blossomed forth the unfading Rose' and 'Rejoice, ... mystical staff that didst blossom with the unfading Flower'. Sun and moon are depicted on either side. Inside the carved borders are attributes referring to other verses of the hymn.

Detail Images