Triptych with the Mother of God of the Rose and Saints, Greek School, Nineteenth Century

Triptych

Given by Sir Charles Marling

Given by Sir Charles Marling, 1928

This icon was given to the V&A by the Trustees of the Estate of Lady Lucia Marling in 1928. Sir Charles Marling donated a large number of objects to the V&A in memory of his late wife including three icons (W.64-1928, W.65-1938, and W.68-1928). Charles Marling was a diplomat who had lived in Athens during the 1890s and assembled a large collection of textiles and ceramics during his time in Greece and later in the Middle East, but who had also acquired other works of art. An inscription in white letters below the right elbow of the Virgin explains that the icon is the "prayer of the slave of God Michael of Karakoi", a town north of Thessaloniki. Below this inscription the icon is dated 1751 or 1781. It has been speculated that this icon is a forgery, but it seems more likely that a pre-existing icon which was not of great age was made to look like something older.

Historical significance: This icon is an interesting example of a Greek icon which is assimilating Western iconography. While the inscriptions on the panel are in Greek, some of the imagery employed does not correspond to orthodox theological models. The crowned Virgin, for example, is not an Orthodox image, but rather a piece of Catholic iconography. Christ is also dressed as an emperor here complete with orb and sceptre, which is not a typical orthodox means of representing the son of God. The 'Virgin of the rose' is also not one of the typical incarnations of the Virgin in Orthodoxy.

The saints on the wings of the triptych (St. Charalambos and St George on the wing to the right of the Virgin, and Saint Michael the archangel and Saint Demetrius on the wing to the left of the Virgin) are perfectly in keeping with the Orthodox iconographic tradition, however, and the style of the painting of all the figures seems to place the date of manufacture in eighteenth century. The figure of Saint Demetrius, for example, is similar to icon W.64-1928, which also came from the Marling collection and which is assigned a similar date.

The emphasis in the imagery of this triptych is the liturgy, as we see from the paten, censer, and Ark of the Covenant which float in the gold space behind the Virgin and Child. This could hint at the function of this triptych, which may have been a portable altar for the "Michael of Karakoi" named in the inscription, although this inscription may have been a later addition to the panel based on its date (see Object History Note). An analysis of the structure of this icon shows that there are holes in the wings which would have held the fittings for holding the wings closed while in transport, and the dirty condition of the piece implies a great deal of use. There are also nails embedded in the panel which indicate that metal nimbi (haloes) were fastened to each of the figures at some stage. While the triptych is in fairly good condition overall, it is incredibly dirty, and perhaps displays the hallmarks of an icon which was deliberately 'aged' by the individual who sold it to the Marlings.

W.68-1928