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vellum: Animal skin prepared for writing, parchment.
Vera icon, see mandylion.
Virgin Blachernitissa: iconographic type depicting
the Virgin, reproducing an icon once kept at the Blachernae
Church in Constantinople: in it the Virgin is depicted in an
orant pose, with or without the figure of the Christ Child shown
within a medallion over her chest. The Blachernae Church was
the repository of the important relic of the Virgin’s
maphorion, or veil (see cat 172, 212).
Virgin Dexiokratousa (Gr., "right-handed"):
term that describes the comparatively rare images of the Virgin
in which the Christ Child is held in his mother’s right
hand. This variant probably had no specific symbolic meaning,
although it was probably based upon an unknown Constantinopolitan
prototype (see cat 207).
Virgin Eleousa (Gr., "compassionate"):
an epithet used to describe a wide variety of images of the
Viirgin and Christ, typically represented with their cheeks
pressed together, with Christ throwing his arm around his mother’s
neck, see figures (cat 127, 305).
Virgin Galaktotrophousa (Gr., "she who nurses"):
depiction of the Virgin nursing the Christ Child, an iconographic
variant dating to the Pre-iconoclastic Period; where it emerges
in Coptic parietal programs as early as the 6th century C.E.,
for example at St Jeremiah at Saqqara, (6th century). The need
of Christ to be fed is connected with the dogma of his incarnation;
however, this act also alludes to Christ’s future Passion
as well (see cat 215).
Virgin Glykophilousa (Gr. "sweet-kissing"):
a variant of the Virgin Eleousa, or "compassionate,"
iconographic depiction in which the Virgin is shown kissing
the Christ Child. The term Glykophilousa is Post-Byzantine in
origin, focusing on the actions of the figures (see cat 209).
Virgin Hodegetria (Gr. "guide"):
Icon depicting the Virgin holding the Christ child and gesturing
to him with her free hand. The Hodegetira was one of the most
celebrated Byzantine icons, and remained the Constantinople’s
pallium until the fall of the City to the Ottomans in 1453.
The icon depicts the Virgin looking out at the viewer, motioning
toward Christ, as "the way to salvation," see (cat
4, 77, 78, 126, 151, 152,
Virgin Kardiotissa, a variant of the Eleousa
type, in which Christ stretches out both hands to embrace his
mother (see cat 210).
Virgin Kykkotissa: A Cypriot variation of the
theme of the Virgin Eleousa, in which Christ is shown frontally,
squirming in his mother’s lap, while wearing a sleeveless
chiton. This prototype for this icon is thought to have been
Alexios I Komnenos to the monastery of Kykkos (see cat 91,
93).
Virgin Pantanassa (Gr., "Queen of All"):
a depiction of the Virgin with arms in an orant pose (see cat
145).
Virgin Pelagonitissa (Gr., "Pelagonian"):
a variant of the Eleousa theme, in which Christ is seen standing
with his back toward the viewer, tilting his head backwards
as he presses his cheek to his mother’s face. Both figures
gaze at the spectator. The now lost original was from Pelagonia
in Macedonia (see cat 93).
Virgin Playatera (Gr. "wider (than the
heavens’): depiction of the Virgin in an orant pose, usually
found decorated the apse above the altar area; the epithet is
found in the Liturgy of Saint Basil. The Playatera type is very
similar to the Blachernitissa, an orant in which a medallion
of the Christ Child is shown over the Virgin’s chest.
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