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Mother of God of Kherson (Korsunskaia)
The Mother of God of Kherson or Chersonnes is named after the port and fortress city Cherson on the Crimean
peninsula. In 989 AD, the city had become Russian and Kherson, where many baptisms took place, one of the starting points of Christianization. The archetype of the Korsunskaia icon came
to Russia as a gift from Constantinople during the second half of the twelfth century.
Mary (Eleousa, the merciful) is shown here in the role of mother, holding her child to her
breast with love and compassion, as if to protecting it from the sufferings of the world of which she has a foreboding. With this type of icon Jesus Christ, Son of God, sits on the left arm of
the Virgin Mary or on the right, from the viewer’s perspective.
This icon was written (painted) by Saveljev repeatedly. It is interesting to see the effects created
by minor adjustments, colours, and painting technique.
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