Ancient Orthodox Icon Of The Virgin Odigitria

This is a sacred Orthodox icon painted in tempera on a wooden panel, depicting the Virgin and Child.
The work follows the tradition of Eastern icons (morphologically similar to the Hodegetria or Kazan type).
The Virgin Mary is depicted in a half-length portrait, with a melancholic gaze directed toward the viewer, while holding the Baby Jesus. The three decorative stars on her veil (maphorion) symbolize her perpetual virginity.
The faces display a softer, more Western stylistic influence compared to the stricter traditional Byzantine canons, a phenomenon common in Russian, Greek, or Balkan sacred art beginning in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The halo and background feature decorative motifs engraved and punched directly into the surface, with a characteristic craquelure effect due to the aging of the paint layer and the protective varnish.
The icon shows evident and widespread signs of aging, including marked cracking (a network of fissures on the painted surface) and severe losses of the paint film and wooden support in the lower part.
34 cm x 24 cm