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In 2023, we acquired an icon on the antiques market that was obscured beneath a dark layer of varnish. A careful examination of the icon in person gave us reason to believe that, once the varnish was removed, a work of exceptionally high painterly quality would be revealed — as indeed proved to be the case.
Before our eyes emerged a remarkable Madre della Consolazione of the late Byzantine period. This iconographic type is of particular significance, as it demonstrates the successful adaptation and fusion of Byzantine and Venetian artistic elements into a new image of the Virgin Mary. The type occupies an important place in the development of post-Byzantine painting and reflects the broader artistic exchange characteristic of Venetian Crete.
The present icon is therefore an exemplary work illustrating a major artistic development of its period and marking a transitional stage between Byzantine and Renaissance aesthetics. The fact that the inscriptions are in Latin suggests that the icon was intended for a Catholic patron. The delicate and refined execution of this icon indicates that it should be attributed to the renowned master Nikolaos Tzafouris, with the participation of his workshop. We are grateful to Maria C. Paphiti for her assistance in the attribution of the icon.
