Virgin of Vladimir Icon Pendant
date: label: Date made
content: c. 1891
notes: label: Description
content: This small metal icon mounted as a pendant depicts a painted image of the Virgin of Vladimir. This representation of the Mary holding the infant Jesus to her cheek dates to the 12th century and has been highly venerated by Russian Orthodox Christians ever since.
label: Description
content: The Russian Orthodox faith arrived in North America in the 18th century when Russian traders settled in what is now Alaska. A steady stream of Eastern Europeans many of whom were Orthodox came to America during the 19th century with a large influx leading up to the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. This political turmoil in Eastern Europe and Russia likely explains how the small icon came to America although the story is not definitively known.
label: Description
content: It was donated to the Smithsonian by Julia Asenath Romaine van Schaick. Neither she nor her husband’s family appear to have Russian ancestry. Both Julia and her husband resided in Belgium assisting the Red Cross with war relief beginning in 1917 and it is possible that she acquired the icon while she was in Europe. Her husband was a well-known Universalist minister who hosted Abdu’l-Baha, the leader of the Bahá'í Faith, at his church in Washington, DC in the Fall of 1912. Abdu’l-Baha spoke about the liberty of speech and religion enjoyed by Americans.
label: Description
content: This little Virgin of Vladimir pendant represents not only the arrival of the Russian Orthodox faith in America but perhaps through its ownership by the van Schaick’s also represents the generosity of America in offering relief to victims of war and their openness to all religions whether Russian Orthodox, Bahá'í, or Universalist.
place: label: place made
content: Russia
topic: label: Subject
content: Orthodox Eastern Church
label: Subject
content: Expositions and Fairs
label: related event
content: Nijni Novogorod Fair
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Religion
label: See more items in
content: Religion
label: See more items in
content: Many Voices, One Nation
label: Exhibition
content: Many Voices, One Nation
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mrs. John Van Shaick
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CL.325928
label: catalog number
content: 325928
label: accession number
content: 70654
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Icon
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 cm x 6.5 cm x .5 cm; 3 5/32 in x 2 9/16 in x 3/16 in