Image Acts of the Virgin of Vladimir

Abstract The Virgin of Vladimir is one of the most historically, artistically, and religiously significant icons in Russia. From an art historical perspective, it belongs to the category of Eleusa icons, using vivid depictions of the mother-child relationship to convey religious doctrine. It represents the highest level of 12th-century Byzantine and Russian religious art. From the perspective of image act, this icon’s pluralistic nature challenges the conventional notion of a work of art having a singular and authentic identity, as well as the idea of aesthetic contemplation. The icon’s mobile characteristics not only explain various miracle legends associated with icons but also provide insights into image act theory. Furthermore, analyzing the image act of this icon can contribute to a deeper understanding of the theories proposed by Bredekamp, distinguishing between passive act in non-autonomous images and active acts in autonomous images.