“The Nursing Mother of God” is an icon of the Virgin Mary holding Her Son in Her arms and breastfeeding Him. This image combines the ancient tradition of veneration of the mother goddess, typical of many cultures and civilizations, with the Christian doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus.

Early images of the nursing Mother of God on a throne were found in the apses of Egyptian monastery churches and chapels, dating back to the 7th century. Such images are also found in Bethlehem with its Milk Grotto — three limestone caves where the Virgin Mary nursed the baby Jesus.

The image of the nursing Mother of God was often used in small private altarpieces by Renaissance artists. One of the most famous examples of this era is the “Madonna Litta” by Leonardo da Vinci kept in the State Hermitage Museum.

The icon from the collection of the Andrei Rublev Museum is an interesting artifact that belonged to a devout individual or family. It could be purchased as a token of remembrance of a family event such as the birth of a long-awaited child or successful childbirth.

One of the earliest forms of icon ornamentation, the basma, was used for this icon’s cover. It involves embossing an image on a very thin sheet of metal. The motifs are repeated by using a template or sketch and creating a symmetrical pattern and composition. Underneath a white metal cover, there is an intricate velvet riza. Floral motifs are embroidered with silver thread, and the edges are adorned with a pattern of sequins, beads, and colored glass. The cover consists of several parts, with an openwork nimbus and a crenelated crown soldered onto a background, creating a complex relief.

The beaded star on the Virgin Mary’s omophorion is a traditional element of Her iconography, asserting the virgin birth of Christ. In the earliest known troparion of the 3rd century, the Virgin Mary is described as “the one who is innocent and blessed.” Later, in 553, the First Council of Constantinople approved the teaching of Mary’s perpetual virginity, making it one of the central aspects of the doctrine.