The artwork titled “Virgin First Seven Steps,” created by Byzantine Mosaics around c.1320, is a remarkable piece from the Late Byzantine/Palaeologan Renaissance art movement, which spans from approximately 1261 to 1453. This religious painting, executed in mosaic medium, belongs to a series that adorns the Chora Church in Istanbul, Turkey.
The artwork depicts a tender and sacred moment of the Virgin Mary taking her first steps, guided by two figures on either side, one of whom is likely her mother, Saint Anne. The scene is rich with symbolic and spiritual significance, rendered in the intricate, shimmering detail characteristic of Byzantine mosaics. The background and the figures demonstrate the use of fine tesserae, arranged meticulously to create a luminous and otherworldly atmosphere, typical of this advanced period of Byzantine art. The halos and attire of the figures further emphasize the divine nature of the event being portrayed.
