This pendant features the Virgin of Vladimir (Eleusa type) icon, created in 2022-2024.
Crafted from silver and enamel, the piece is meticulously hand-painted in fine miniature detail using overglaze techniques and set in a hand-engraved silver frame.
Traditionally attributed to Luke the Evangelist, the iconography has been adapted here to the delicate art of enamel miniature, with a modest silver frame inspired by pre-Art Nouveau and templon styles.
This unique piece represents approximately 80-100 hours of handmade artistry.
Available as a one-of-a-kind item. Future orders may include variations.
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More about the creation of the piece.
The image of the Virgin Mary is created using the technique of overglaze painting on hot enamel.
2022 - 2024. Silver, enamel, silk cord.
The Vladimir Icon is the earliest known surviving image and one of the most venerated miracle-working icons of the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to Sacred Tradition, the iconography was created by the evangelist Luke.
Here, the artist has adapted it to the technique of miniature enamel painting and added a simple, modest silver frame inspired by pre-Art Nouveau and the style of the Tyablov iconostasis.
The work took around 100 hours to complete and was done by hand.
After sketching, the work began with the sawing of a silver plate. It was then shaped to a convex form. Enamel deforms less on a properly curved surface, and the colors appear more vivid when light passes through the enamel, reflecting off the silver beneath.
Next, the silver is textured, and the plate is coated with a very thin layer of enamel – powdered glass, which melts during firing at 800°C and covers the surface of the silver.
The most complex stage begins with the painting using overglaze colors. Pigments are carefully ground with a special medium to a creamy consistency and applied, layer by layer, color by color, onto the plate.
To achieve the desired miniaturization, the work is mainly done with an extremely sharp needle, as a brush would give a rougher result. This technique is called “pointillist” or “dot painting”, where pigments are applied as small dots (points) rather than brush strokes, allowing for exceptional precision. For example, this technique makes it possible to depict a baby’s hand with five fingers, each only 1 mm in size.
Day by day, under a microscope, the general composition is created first, followed by the details. The overglaze colors are fixed on the glass with multiple firings at 800°C. For this work, 6 firings were performed, each a sensitive and delicate moment in the process.
Moments from the creation of the work: the enamel plate.
Moments from the creation of the work: the silver frame.
