Madonna Icon

This icon was commissioned for Saint Mark's Anglican Church in Florence. It was blessed on 5 February 2017 by The Rt Revd Dr David Hamid, an Anglican Suffragan Bishop in Europe.

Icons are not as simple as they they might appear at first sight. Everything in an icon is symbolic. This extends to the figures, their poses, hand gestures, and facial expressions, every symbol, object and colour, and the relative positions of everything in the icon. The materials used, and the manner of their use, is important, too. The task fascinated me, so I thought I would share some insight into the design of this icon.

Design and Development

This is an altar icon, using oil paint on wooden panel, unframed, and designed to lean against a wall, rather than hang from a wall mounting. The artwork was designed for a chapel, so the starting points were the location, the lighting, the range at which its detail needed to be discernable, and the uses to which such an icon might be put (such as being carried in procession).

In terms of concept, that came from reading the relevant gospel texts and prophecies, and then choosing elements to include in the icon. My concept for the icon was simple: a young mother and baby, and our natural caring instincts toward them. Visually, the design is all about curves and circles, from the shape of the throne, to the arcs in the clothing, the set of the arms, the flowers, and the haloes.

White roses and lilies are symbols of the Madonna. The rose is also a symbol of England. Flower buds refer to birth and newness of life. The flower stems bind to the side of the throne, suggesting close connection, longevity, and stability. The offset position of Jesus can skew the composition of Madonna icons, so I used the roses and drapery to help balance the painting.

The ring-shaped throne back takes us straight to the Madonna's face. Many objects in the composition point to her forehead. Jesus is positioned on a curve that we can see most readily in the shape of his left leg, on a line that leads us to the Madonna. The Madonna's right hand guards the place where Jesus's body will eventually be pierced.

Around the whole painting, I opted to keep things simple, and to shift us away from realism and toward pure meaning. With just 700mm height to work with, I opted for a 500mm width and a seated pose, to maximize the size at which I could show the faces of the Madonna and Jesus.

The Finished Icon

The design was sketched onto the surface, and then painted in grisaille, followed by translucent colour "first painting", and then opaque "second painting". The Tuscan blue-sky background is intentionally vivid, as the chapel is not brightly lit.

As with most icons, it is unframed, and is designed to be carried during processions, hence the dark places and grey statues near the bottom, where hands may grip the picture.

Of course, the icon is blessed, and is annointed with holy water. For this reason, the icon must be water-resistant!

The Madonna

Rather than hunt for someone who "looks like a Madonna", I opted to employ several models, the sketches of which I later combined to create the face I wanted. As the focal point of the icon, the face must hold the viewer's attention, and represent this important figure in a suitable manner. I chose to depict her simply, as a young mother showing us her baby, which I hope makes her approachable and easy to relate to, whatever your faith.

I based the cowl on the natural shape of long straight hair, the positioning of which opens the face. Her head is tilted toward Jesus, which relaxes her pose and conveys intimatacy.

Jesus

I employed one model for Jesus, and painted him exactly as he appears, while he sat with his mum and dad. Infants do not hold poses, of course, so it was essential to work very quickly. Madonna and Child icons sometimes divide the viewer's attention between the mother and the child, which can diminish their impact. To ensure the focus stays on the Madonna, I positioned Jesus looking not at us, but up at his mother - and beyond her to God. This pose puts light straight across him, with very little shadow. I also presented him in a foetal position, which prevents him from dominating the composition. His legs are in the beginnings of a crucifixion pose.

The statue of Saint Mark with rose bush beside

Statues

The throne is plain white stone, pierced with the uneven stencil design that appears on the arches of Saint Mark's church. There are two statues set into alcoves in the arms of the throne. Left is Saint Mark, as he appeares in a sculpture outside the church. Right is the prophet Isaiah, taken from a painting by Michelangelo. Isaiah predicted the virgin birth; Saint Mark's gospel is connected very closely with the writings of Isaiah.