Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy
- Audio guide stop: 503
- Gallery: Room 40
- Culture: Late Byzantine
- Made in: Constantinople
- Date: 1400 (circa)
- Object type: icon
- Materials: wood; linen; gesso; gold
- Museum number: 1988,0411.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is an iconic piece titled "Icon with the Triumph of Orthodoxy," created in Constantinople around 1400 during the late Byzantine period. The panel is painted with egg tempera and gold leaf, using traditional techniques to create luminous figures. The icon celebrates the restoration of religious images in 843 after years of a ban—known as iconoclasm.
At the top, we see the Hodegetria, a revered image of the Virgin and Child said to have been painted by St. Luke. Flanking it are Empress Theodora and Patriarch Methodios. Their presence reflects their key roles in ending the icon ban.
Below are rows of saints, each with their own story. One is St. Theodosia, who reportedly died protecting a Christ icon. Others, like the Studite and Graptoi brothers, were known for defending sacred images.
This work is remarkable not only for its craftsmanship but also for its rich historical context. It's a snapshot of a pivotal moment in Christian art history.
See it in person
Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy is on display in Room 40 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 503, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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