Unknown
Russian
The Virgin of the Burning Bush, 1750 ca.
egg tempera on wood, silver revetment
21 1/8 x 17 1/4 x 1 1/4 in.
SBMA, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Godwin Pelissero
1978.18
COMMENTS
Description
In the center of a star-like motif the Virgin Mary holds the Christ Child on her left arm. Placed on this central motif is a circular silver riza covering all but the flesh portions of the holy figures (now removed?). Extending out and touching the frame is a lozenge-shaped, dark-green projection enclosing angels. This symbolizes the bush that Moses saw on Mt. Sinai. The four other projecting red triangles enclose the four Evangelist symbols. The red symbolizes the flames of the Burning Bush that Moses saw. Surrounding these images are angels enclosed within cloud formations. Finally in the four outside corners appear four Old Testament prophets. The frame is covered by a gilded silver basma on which is incised descriptions and identifications of the painted images. These descriptions are in old Church Slavonic.
Origin, Iconography and Style
This theme became popular in Russian icon painting by the 17th century and embodies the complex imagery that often made its appearance at this time. The basic literary source fir the theme stems from the Old Testament account of Moses before the burning thornbush on Mt. Horeb (Sinai), Exodus 3:2-3. Early Church Fathers interpreted this event as signifying the Virgin Birth. The bush burned but was not consumed: in like manner Mary conceived and gave birth, yet still remained a pure virgin. Pictorial images showing the Virgin and Child in the burning thornbush in front of Moses go back at least to the Palaeologan period (e.g., the 13th century fresco in the narthex of the Peribleptos Church, Ohrid, Yugoslavia). This icon is typical of the formalized, symmetrical arrangement found in many later Russian icons.
The Virgin in the center turns towards Ezekiel in the lower left corner of the icon. In her right hand she holds a ladder, a reference to Jacobs ladder. The red triangles, as mentioned above, enclose the four symbols of the Evangelists, each of which holds a Gospel book. Clockwise from upper left they are: the Angel of St. Matthew, Eagle of St. John, the Ox of St. Luke, and the Lion of St. Mark. The angels enclosed within the cloud forms are associated with the elements as indicated in the inscripÂtions in the border. Clockwise from the upper right they are:
1. Spirit of Strength or Force: the angels of dew and mist
2. Spirit of the Fear of God: the angels of frost and ice
3. Angels who hold back the wind, storm and rain
4. The angel armed against the age of unrighteousness
5. Spirit of rationality: the angels associated with those sleeping from the beginning of time
6. Spirit of Lightning: angels who bring fire
7. Spirit of the Fear of God: the angels of thunder
8. Spirit of Wisdom: angels of the Father's mansion
The corners of the icon depict four Old Testament prophets. In the liturgy, hymnography and homilies it was common to interpret Old Testament events as divine manifestations prefiguring the incarnation of Christ through the instrumentality of the Virgin Mary. Beginning in the upper left corner of the icon, we are presented with the scene of Moses standing before the Burning Bush on Mt. Horeb (Sinai). The angel of Lord emerges from the Bush, while within the Bush is a medallion of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.
In the upper right corner is a reference to the Tree of Jesse mentioned in a vision of Isaiah (Isaiah 11:1,2,10: "Then a shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse and a branch shall spring from its roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel, and power...on that day a scion from the root of Jesse shall be set up as a signal to the peoples."). Biblical commentators going back to St. Jerome (4th-5th century) interpreted this passage as a reference to the royal lineage of Mary: Mary is symbolized by the stock and Jesus by the flower. In western European Medieval art, this theme was particularly popular in Gothic sculpture, stained glass and manuscript illumination, where it is shown as a genealogical tree. In this icon Jesse reclines on the ground outside the city walls while looking across a chasm at a large tree.
In the lower right corner is the vision of Jacob's ladder (Gen. 28: 10-17). Jacob is shown sleeping on the ground while angels ascend and descend the ladder reaching up into the heavens, where a medallion depicting the Lord is seen. Hymns draw the analogy between Jacob's ladder and the Virgin Mary, and in the central medallion of this icon she is actually shown holding the ladder, as mentioned above.
Finally in the lower left corner, there appears a vision from Ezekiel 44:1-3: "He again brought me round to the outer gate of the sanctuary facing eastwards, and it was shut. The Lord said to me, this gate shall be kept shut. It must not be opened. No man may enter by it, for the Lord, of God of Israel has entered by it." This was the only lesson read at all the Marian feasts and was commonly interpreted as a reference to the virginity of Mary, both before and after she gave birth to the Son of God.
It is understandable why this icon, the Burning Bush, was believed to have the power to protect the Orthodox believer's home against the constant danger of fire.
Bibliography
Katalog Drevnerusskoi Zhivopisi, Tretyakov Gallery, vol II, Moscow, 1963, No. 623. pp. 207-208, pl. 75 (in Russian)
McKenzie, pp. 28-29, pl. 14.
Ouspensky, Russian Icons, A. la vieille Russie, New York, 1962, pp, 45, 58-59.
This information was copied from Russian Icons in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, pp. 52-54.
Prepared for the SBMA Docent website 2006 (from old file cabinet), by Loree Gold
SBMA CURATORIAL LABELS
The complex symbolic composition seen in this icon was invented by Russian artists ca. 1540 and quickly became popular. It shows that the prophecies of old were fulfilled through the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, and that God commands the forces of nature. The eight winged figures who surround the Virgin and Child are labeled "the angel of tempests", "the angel of clouds", "the angel of thunder", "the angel of fire", etc. The four creatures wedged among them are those seen by Ezekiel near the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:5); they also stand for the four evangelists. In the corners are the prophetic visions of Moses (Exodus 3:2), Hosea (Hosea 14:5), Jacob (Genesis 28:12) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 44:2). The title "Icon of the Burning Bush", written in the frame above, is derived from the first of these: just as the bush seen by Moses burned without being consumed by the fire, so Mary gave birth without losing her virginity.
- Religious Images of the Christian East, 2013