The icon was painted in the middle of the 15th century and partially repainted in the early 17th century. However, according to legend, it was a gift from the Byzantine EmperorManuel II Palaiologos to Grand Duke Vytautas on the occasion of his baptism.
The icon depicts the Virgin Mary, with her right hand supporting baby Jesus sitting on her lap, while her left holds a branch with three flowers.
Gothic and Renaissance elements are visible in the icon. It combines old with new iconography, inspired by European art forms.
The icon, which Lithuanian researchers believe is from Belarus,[citation needed] is determined by a bright light color, soft shapes and the specificity of facial features. The depiction of individual traits is so specific, and the sensitivity of the living body texture is so sincere, that the image is more like a portrait than an icon.
Sources
Гісторыя беларускага мастацтва: У 6 т. Т. 1: Ад старажытных часоў да другой паловы XVI cт.; [рэд. кал.: С. В. Марцэлеў (гал.рэд.) [і інш.]; рэд. тома С. В. Марцэлеў, Л. М. Дробаў; АН БССР, Ін-т мастацтвазнаўства, этнаграфіі і фальклору. — Мінск: Навука і тэхніка, 1987. — 303 с.: iл.
Przewodnik po sanktuariach maryjnych. Z dawna Polski tyś Królową, Szymanów 1996.
A. Dylewski, M. Masłowski, B. Piotrowski, J. Swajdo, P. Wójcik: Litwa, Łotwa, Estonia i obwód kaliningradzki. Praktyczny przewodnik. Bielsko-Biała: Pascal, 2008. ISBN978-83-7513-148-2.
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