Icon - Mother of God of Kazan - Wood, Metal

Virgin of Kazan (Kazánskaya Bogomater), one of the most venerated Marian advocations of the Russian Orthodox Church. In this exemplar, the painting is protected by a gilded metal covering, known as oklad or riza.

- The Virgin Mary: appears depicted from the bust, with her head slightly inclined toward the Child, in a posture of recollection.
- The Child Jesus: is placed to the right of the Virgin, seen from the viewer, with a frontal face and a solemn expression.
- The faces: are dark and show considerable wear, which makes it difficult to discern the original details of the painting.
- The halo and the rays: the golden background, with large rays around the heads, emphasizes the holiness of the Mother of God and Christ.
- The metal covering: features vegetal and floral reliefs on the edges, as well as a gilded decoration that covers much of the garments.

The Virgin of Kazan belongs to the Hodigitria iconographic type, although its composition has its own characteristics. Mary symbolically points to Christ as the path of salvation. The Child appears upright and solemn, as Savior and Lord.

Tradition places the discovery of the original icon in Kazan, Russia, in 1579. The image acquired extraordinary importance in Russian spirituality and history