Madonna and child, fragment of a wall painting
Plaster and pigment
H: 62; W: 45; D: 42 cm
1999-2151
This fragment orginally decorated a church. Mary's head is surrounded by a halo, and to her right part of the infant Jesus' head can be seen. This is an iconic depiction of the Madonna and Child of a type referred to as Virgin Hodegtria, which generally shows the virgin holding the infant Jesus in her left arm while pointing to him with her right. The fragment exhibits a Byzantine painting style and resembles paintings found in churches in Bethlehem and Abu Ghosh.
Arad, P., Crusader Madonna, Israel Museum Studies in Archaeology 6, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2007
Chronicles of the Land, Archaeology in the Israel Museum Jerusalem, Dayagi-Mendels Michal, and Rozenberg, Silvia (eds.), The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 2010
Knights of the Holy Land: The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 15/07/1999 - 01/01/2000
