Dimensions: 520 × 300 × 25 mm

Inspired by a seventeenth-century Bulgarian icon of the Virgin Eleousa, meaning “Mother of Tenderness” or “She Who Shows Mercy”, this hand-written icon pays homage to one of the most cherished representations of the Mother of God within Orthodox Christianity.

The original anonymous icon is housed in the National Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria, where it remains an enduring example of Orthodox sacred art. While the historic original was written on a wooden panel, Vio Vlad chose to reinterpret the traditional design using the distinctive Romanian technique of reverse painting on glass, reflecting the way sacred imagery was embraced and transformed by the folk artists of Transylvania over many generations.

Faithful to the original izvod (traditional iconographic pattern), the composition preserves the established forms and colour palette while demonstrating the unique beauty and versatility of reverse glass iconography.

The icon is carefully painted on glass using the traditional reverse technique before being mounted within a handmade wooden frame. The reverse is protected with recycled timber for durability, then finished with varnish and polished with natural beeswax.

Each icon is individually signed and dated by the artist on the reverse.

Created: 2016

Studio: Ryde, Isle of Wight

Product Details

• Hand-written Orthodox icon
• Traditional Romanian reverse glass painting
• Inspired by a seventeenth-century Bulgarian original
• Virgin Eleousa (Mother of Tenderness)
• Acrylic and oil on reverse-painted glass
• Handmade wooden frame
• Protected with recycled timber backing
• Finished with varnish and polished with natural beeswax
• Signed and dated by the artist
• Dimensions: 520 × 300 × 25 mm