The Virgin Hodegetria
Acrylic Paint on Ceramic Tile
9" x 18" x .75"

You are seeing my first attempt at something! My family-in-law happened to have this more-than-a-century-old roof tile, and they asked me to paint an Icon on it. My hope was to create something that would look archaic and having to work on this porous material helped with the idea. Family seems to love it, and thank God! I'm so glad! Buona Pasqua! (– in a couple of days). Che Dio ti benedica!

Tradition identifies St. Luke as the first portraitist of the Virgin and Child. This Icon arrived to Constantinople from Jerusalem, where it had been found in the fifth century by the sister-in-law of Emperor Theodosius II. Hidden from the Iconoclasts in a wall at the Hodegon Monastery, it was later carried to the city walls when Constantinople lay under siege and became a major palladium protecting the capital. Copies made their way to Rome, the Near East, the Bolkans, and Russia. Roman VIII century Icon of Virgin Hodegetria is the subject matter – Theotokos is holding Christ Child, as He raises His right hand in blessing, holding the Gospel in his left. Alfredo Tradigo's "Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Translated by Stephen Sartarelli)