Anonymous - Icon of the enthroned Virgin and Child

Title: Icon of the enthroned Virgin and Child
Artist: Anonymous (-)
Date: c.600
Medium: Encaustic on wood
Dimensions:

This icon of the enthroned Virgin and child is one of the oldest known Christian encaustic icon. The encaustic technique is heat-based- pigment is mixed with beeswax and fixed with heat after its application on a surface.

The icon shows how many of the iconographic codes were set very early on- frontal representation, symmetry in the composition, aureola around the head, Mary enthroned holding Jesus on her lap, prophets and angels standing around the throne, etc.