Our Lady of the Sign (Platytera) – Serigraph on Naturally Aged Wood – Mount Athos

Description

Icon with Our Lady of the Sign (Platytera) on Naturally Aged Wood

This beautiful serigraph of Our Lady of the Sign or else Platytera is placed on naturally aged wood from a cell at Mount Athos. Is an icon of Virgin Mary, facing the viewer directly, usually depicted full length with her hands in the «orans» position, and with the image of Christ as a child in front of her chest, also facing the viewer directly.

Sometimes the image of Christ is contained within a medallion. Poetically, by containing the Creator of the Universe in her womb, Mary has become «Platytera ton ouranon», which means: «More spacious than the heavens». This type is sometimes called the «Virgin of the Sign» or «Our Lady of the Sign», a reference to Isaiah: «Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel».

Blessed Wood that Came out of Paradise

This naturally aged wood that was used at the icon of Our Lady of the Sign came from a renovated cell from Mount Athos which has suffered many damages through years. Renovation works were necessary to remain in good condition so monks can continue to live there. Monks are replacing doors, window shutters or ceiling beams but they are keeping the pieces of wood so they can reuse them. They are cutting and processing the wood with excellent techniques so they can use it later for their artworks such as these icons. These pieces of wood are part of the history of Mount Athos. So monks reuse them and they are giving us a small piece of this history.

As this icon is handmade and the wood processing is made exclusively by hand there might be small differences at the wood but not on the representation

Origin: Mount Athos

Dimensions: 30 x 26 x 2,5 cm