Triptych of the Virgin and Child surrounded by religious congregations

Why this icon

During a day in Amsterdam, I lingered in the antiques district, not far from the Rijksmuseum, and was drawn to a very old icon displayed in a shop window. Its beauty made me want to copy it. Working from a poor photograph, I attempted a reinterpretation. Unfortunately, I could not find out the identities of the different saints depicted in the icon, as the shop was closed.

About this icon

At the centre of this triptych, the Virgin Mary holds the Christ Child. Her inclined head and the closeness of their faces give the scene a tender character. The two figures form the focal point around which the other characters are gathered.

The upper parts of the side panels depict the Annunciation: a winged messenger, identifiable as the Archangel Gabriel, turns towards Mary on the opposite panel. This scene recalls the announcement of Christ’s coming, while the central panel shows the Virgin with the Child.

Six haloed figures surround the Virgin and Child: two on each side panel and two at Mary’s feet. Their different garments, books and crosses suggest several religious traditions. Their individual identities are uncertain, but the figures on the left panel may be Saint Paul and Saint Benedict; on the right panel, Saint Clare and Saint Francis; and in the centre, to the right of the Virgin, Saint Dominic, and to the left, Saint John. These are tentative identifications that would need to be confirmed.

Their gestures and the arrangement of the three panels can be read as an image of communion: distinct spiritual paths gathered around the same centre, Christ held by his Mother.