Virgin Hodegetria icon magnet
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Make way for a millennium-old relic with this enchanting magnet. Depicting the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus in her arms, the original icon was made from embossed copper-gilt in Istanbul between 1050 and 1100 and can be seen on display in the Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires exhibition. Created exclusively for the V&A, the palm-sized magnet is made using responsibly sourced paper.
Hodegetria is a Greek word meaning ‘she who shows the way.’ An iconographic tradition in Eastern Christianity, the Virgin Mary is shown holding her son in her left arm, gesturing towards him with her right hand to indicate that he is the path to salvation. This plaque was found on the Venetian island of Torcello; it may have come to Venice through trade, or might have been plundered during the sacking of Constantinople following the Fourth Crusade.
Plaque with the Virgin Hodegetria
Embossed copper-gilt
Constantinople, 1050-1100
V&A: 818-1891
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Dimensions
9 x 6.5cm (3.5 x 2.6in)
Composition
FSC-certified paper, tin, magnet
Colour
Gold
Product code
173257
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Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires
A major UK-first exhibition exploring 1,600 years of extraordinary art and design, offering a compelling new perspective on a city defined by artistic excellence across more than a millennium.
Shop the full Constantinople to Istanbul exhibition range here >