Description in Icons, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2004, cat. no. 41:
The Mother of God of Tenderness with
selected Saints on borders
Last quarter of 15th century, Suzdal or Rostov
NMI 280

Wood: Linden (Tilia sp.), egg tempera
on canvas. Panel made of three boards
with three splines inlaid from opposite
sides (all lost).

PROVENANCE: Vilhelm Assarsson (”Nov -
gorod, 14th century”); Åke Wiberg; Gift
of Å.Wiberg 1960
EXHIBITIONA: Lund 1959; Gothenburg 1970,
no 1; Helsinki 1970, no1 Stockholm 1973,
no 23; Stockholm 1988, no 5
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Assarssons samling (3:1);
Romare 1959; NM annual report 1960,
p 18; Reuterswärd 1973, pp 41–42; Abel
1978:1, p 3
CONSERVATION: Restored prior to entering
NM: borders repainted in 19th century in -
cluding four figures on lower border; later
overpainting on borders removed except
for the four figures to the left on lower border;
colour on background removed; insertion
of ground with artificial craquelure;
inscription reconstructed; retouches, e.g.
on Christ Child’s left hand; NM 1961:
panel rejointed, paint flakes consolidated,
cleaned, retouched, varnished (B. Titov);
1974: paint losses from earlier damage consolidated
on left and along bottom edge.
Losses of paint layer and ground along borders;
paint layers in central part abraded

The holy figures depicted on the frame
are as follows, identified tier by tier,
beginning top left: the Apostle Peter,
the Prophet Elijah, John the Baptist,
the Archangels Michael and Gabriel,
the Apostle Paul, Basil the Great,
church father with indistinct name,
John Chrysostom, St Vlasius, Gregory
of Nazianzos, St Cosmas, St Nicholas
and finally, in the bottom right corner,
St Demetrius. The additional four
Saints on the bottom border are, from
left to right; St Demetrius (originally
probably St Damian – as a counterpart
to St Cosmas, depicted above) and the
Apostles Thomas, Mathew and Philip.
Philip´s place, next to the image of
Demetrius, may originally have been
occupied by St George. All the figures
bring homage to the Mother of God
and Christ. It is interesting to note
that the conventional heraldic balance
in the depiction of the Archangels,
Peter/Paul, Cosmas/Damian etc., is
here so conspicuous by its absence.
The pale colourscheme that is left especially
the light blue colour of the frame,
as well as the whole iconogra phy point
to a Suzdal-Rostov origin.