Gorgeous Russian Icon of the Kazanskaya Mother of God. This type of Virgin and Child, presenting the Christ Child standing rather than sitting erect on His Mothers arm, is a 16th century Russian variant on the Byzantine Hodegetria Mother of God. Both Icons are theological, emphasizing the divine nature of Christ, the wisdom of God Incarnate, rather than the human relationship between Mother and Child. This is particularly marked in the Kazan image, where Christ is self-supporting, and blesses the faithful in a hieratic frontal pose. Circa 1880s. Handpainted with egg tempera. Gesso on wood panel. Overlaid with Silver oklad (riza).