Andrey- The Virgin of Vladimir

The Virgin of Vladimir shows the virgin with her cheek touching that of the infant. It suggests the desire for a more intimate aspect of religion. This image, & those similar to it, were often stolen or destroyed because onlookers believed that the characters in the images did not look happy together. Regardless, this piece of artwork was supposed to protect the people in the city in which the painting resided. The protection came from the idea of this intimacy between the believer and Christ and his protection of his people. If the essence of a dispute in a sacred image is whether or not the individuals look happy, then the ultimate purpose of the image is being overlooked. The image loses its sacredness and quickly becomes a subject of critique on the art technique.