Icon of the Mother of God by Monika Frys-Żurek

This hand-painted icon depicting the face of the Mother of God was created in the spirit of traditional iconography, where every stage of the work is imbued with prayer, focus, and deep respect for the subject. The icon is not merely a representation — it is a spiritual journey, in which every gesture, color, and play of light carries symbolic and theological meaning.

The icon was made by me on a plywood panel with internal dimensions of 19 × 19 cm. The external dimensions are 33.5 × 33.5 cm. The frame includes a hanging fixture.

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For the painting, I used natural pigments: burnt dark umber, green umber, natural sienna, and golden ochre, as well as synthetic pigments: cadmium red, ultramarine, titanium white, and Caput Mortuum. I also incorporated noble golds: Inca mineral gold, antique gold, and Royal Gold. The background was created using gold leaf, applied with water-based mixtion and then protected with a light shellac polish. The entire work is finished with a protective layer of spray varnish, giving it subtle sheen and durability.

During painting, I applied the pigments in layers, following the iconographic canon — from darkness to light — symbolizing spiritual purification and drawing closer to divinity. This method, requiring extraordinary precision and patience, brings out the depth of the gaze and the light of the figure, making the icon a living presence in the space.

The external dimensions are 33.5 × 33.5 cm. The frame includes a hanging fixture. It is ready to be displayed in both domestic and sacred spaces.

Icons are not simply painted — they are written. This term emphasizes the spiritual dimension of the work — the icon is treated as the Word of the Gospel expressed in image. Every color and gesture has specific meaning: for example, gold symbolizes divinity, ultramarine represents mystery and transcendence, and reds signify sacrifice and love.

In icons, no element is left to chance — the proportions of figures, the direction of the gaze, and the use of light and shadow are all governed by theology and prayer. Creating a single icon can take weeks or even months, requiring silence, focus, and deep spiritual immersion.