The Cephalonia Iconostasis: Detail, the Virgin enthroned

9th century
Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome

Herself seated on a throne, Mary serves as the "throne" from which her child blesses the viewer. In his left hand is a small scroll. Later, in Western images, the scroll will be replaced by a book.

The red shoes are a traditional feature of Eastern images of Mary and of portraits of emperors and their families and high officials. The child, however, is barefoot.

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Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.