Anyone who has studied the history of the Eastern Roman Empire will know about it's relationship with Venice. Venice found itself on the edge of that Empire, often benefiting from trade and commerce with it, but at times the relationship was far more fractured and strained. One such time was in the early thirteenth century when a number of -- let's speak plainly here -- looted and pillaged objects made their way back from Constantinople to Venice following the rather disastrous events of the Fourth Crusade that saw some of the Crusading armies turn 'heel' on what should have been their allies, not their target.
One such object was the icon of the Mother of God,"Nikopeia," now located in a small chapel within the Basilica of San Marco in Venice. It is an easy object to miss amidst all of the splendour of that basilica, but if you are interested in the art of Byzantine Constantinople, it is a piece you won't want to miss.
This precious and important icon is thought to have been originally located either in the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner -- sometimes simply called the Stoudios monastery -- or perhaps the Monastery of Christ Pantokrator. Whatever the case, it is, as it was then, considered an important and prestigious icon of Byzantium.
The sixteenth century Italian travel writer, Giovanni Battista Ramusia, lends his own account of the icon's taking:
The barons and the Venetians battered the walls and towers day and night without with various machines, and redoubled the War, conducting many great skirmishes from one area to another; it was in one of these that they valorously acquired the banner of the Tyrant, but with much greater joy a panel on which was painted the image of Our Lady, which the Greek Emperors had continuously carried in their exploits, since all their hopes for the health and salvation of the Empire rested in it. The Venetians held this image dear above all other riches and jewels that they took, and today it is venerated with great reverence and devotion here in the church of San Marco, and it is one that is carried in procession during times of War and plaque, and to pray for rain and good weather.
There it still is found to this day, set within an altarpiece designed in 1617 for it by Tommaso Contin:
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| Photo credit: Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice |
The icon itself is really quite beautiful and falls into the "Nicopeia" type which means "Bringer of Victory." Arguably the most famous examples of this type of Theotokos icon are those which can still be found gracing the wall of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The title reflects the idea of the Virgin as a protector of Byzantium and icons such as this were frequently employed as a kind of standard, carried in battle by the Eastern Roman emperors.
The icon is dated to the early twelfth century and it is framed by an equally beautiful, bejewelled Byzantine frame that boasts enamel work depicting various saints.
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The face of the Virgin in particular is quite beautiful, and both her and the Christ-child are seen looking toward the viewer's left.
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As the Byzantines faced the impending attacks of the Ottomans, aid was sought from Venice and the Latin West to help repel the Turkish threat. As part of that effort, delegations of senior statesmen and clerics were sent to Venice (though due to plague, eventually these meetings had to be move on to Florence) to seek reunification. During the course of those events, the Byzantine delegation were brought to San Marco where they saw this icon as well as other Byzantine treasures that had been brought to Venice from Constantinople. A bitter-sweet moment to be certain.
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