What is the name of this icon?

[Vasiliki D.]

Does anyone know the name of this icon and where it is from?

[Michael Stickles]

Does anyone know the name of this icon and where it is from?

It appears to be called "Tree of Life". I found it called this at the Catholic sites Our Lady's Little Scribe (http://littlescribe.blogspot.com/2008/01/little-scribe-book-store.html) and Catholic Prayer Cards (http://www.catholicprayercards.org/catalog/item/6176322/5996072.htm); a page on symbols and symbology (http://www.inversehalo.com/symbolsandsymbology.html) shows a slightly different version which is also mentioned as being the Tree of Life. I'm not sure where it's from or what all the various images among the branches depict (only a few are visible on the prayer card), but my guess is that it's specifically a Catholic icon (from finding it on Catholic sites, the halo around Christ's head not having the Orthodox-style cross and lettering, etc.).

This is not to be confused with the Orthodox "Tree of Life" icon (http://religiousicons.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=3677&manufacturer_id=0&category_id=17&product_type_id=11&query_result=16&key=&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=34) I've seen which has Christ seated in the midst of a branching tree or shrub, each branch of which ends with a depiction of one of the twelve apostles. This is to depict the statement "I am the vine, ye are the branches".

In Christ,
Michael

[Vasiliki D.]

This is not to be confused with the Orthodox "Tree of Life" icon (http://religiousicons.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=3677&manufacturer_id=0&category_id=17&product_type_id=11&query_result=16&key=&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=34) I've seen which has Christ seated in the midst of a branching tree or shrub, each branch of which ends with a depiction of one of the twelve apostles. This is to depict the statement "I am the vine, ye are the branches".

In Christ,
Michael

Thank you Michael, I wanted to be sure it is definately Orthodox but I do not have a keen eye with regards to iconography so this was very useful for me (re. Halo etc).

[Dimitris]

What a coincidence! My father bought himself a book about Florence in Italy. I scrolled a little bit through it. Because it was evening and I was tired, at one moment I said "just another page, then I go for sleep". And exactly on that last page I found that picture. It is indeed called "Tree of Life". It is by Pacino di Buonaguida and located in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence.

[Michael Stickles]

It is indeed called "Tree of Life". It is by Pacino di Buonaguida and located in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence.

Wow. A quick Google search on "Pacino di Buonaguida" showed a bundle of hits about this image. One of them, at the website of the Galleria dell'Accademia (http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/accademia/visita/sala.asp?idSala=41), says:


Displayed alongside these works is a large panel by Pacino di Buonaguida showing the Tree of Life, which was originally housed in the convent of the nuns of the Order of St. Clare in Monticelli in Florence.

Since Pacino di Buonaguida lived in Florence in the early 14th century, and the Order of St. Clare is a Catholic order, I'd say it's pretty clear that this was originally a Catholic icon.

One interesting note, though, is that the detail image on the page I linked seems to show what might be the cross in Christ's halo; none of the other pictures I found had anywhere near the detail and resolution of this one. Even though it's Catholic in origin, I don't think that necessarily means it's not OK according to Orthodox iconography. You'd probably have to ask Olga about it to be more certain one way or the other.

In Christ,
Michael