Icona - Madre di Dio Odigitria - Legno

Greek Orthodox school (XIX) — Portable triptych with the Hodegetria Madonna and four saints.

30.5 × 19 cm (closed), 30.5 × 37 cm (open).

Tempera on panel, hinged triptych structure.

This travel triptych follows a well-established Byzantine devotional format, intended for the private prayer of clergy, pilgrims, or high-ranking faithful. The three-panel structure — fixed central panel and two hinged wings — allowed the painted surfaces to be folded shut and protected during transport.
The exterior of the wings, visible when the triptych is closed, bears the Greek inscription IC XC / NI KA ("Jesus Christ conquers"), accompanied by a processional cross rising from a trilobed base representing Golgotha. This spare iconographic programme, rendered directly in brushwork on the bare ground, served a clearly apotropaic function and immediately identifies the object as an instrument of Orthodox Christian devotion.
When opened, the central panel depicts the Theotokos in the Hodegetria type ("She Who Shows the Way"): the Virgin, draped in a red-burgundy maphorion, holds the blessing Christ Child. Greek inscriptions identify the figures — ΘΥ (Theou) and IC XC (Jesus Christ). The lateral wings each carry two haloed saints in blue and red robes, identified by partially legible inscriptions, following standard Eastern iconographic conventions.
The vivid palette — ochre, minium red, green, and gold — and the popular character of the painting point to a Greek or Balkan icon workshop of the 19th century, likely active in the Aegean or Ionian area.

Condition report: Original panel. Widespread paint losses, abrasions, and flaking, particularly on the lateral wings. The exterior of the wings shows large areas of bare ground preparation. Consistent patina of age throughout.

This item is sold with a certificate of authenticity with legal validity.
- Further informations on the condition report are available upon request.
- All shipments are handled with professional packaging. The frame, if present, is to be understood as a gift and therefore its structural integrity during transport is not guaranteed.

Note for non-Italian buyers: This work has not yet obtained the certificate of free export from Italy, is-sued by the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage, which certifies that the work does not belong to the Italian cultural heritage and may therefore be freely exported. The regulations in force from 2026 pro-vide for reduced processing times for works with a declared value below €50,000, at the discretion of the expert committee: typically 2-3 weeks from the submission of the request. All costs related to this procedure are included in the price.

Rendering Disclaimer: Lifestyle images are AI-generated for illustrative purposes only and may not ac-curately reflect the actual proportions of the work.