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GREEK (POSSIBLY MOUNT ATHOS), CIRCA 1700
Details
ST. NICHOLAS
GREEK (POSSIBLY MOUNT ATHOS), CIRCA 1700
St. Nicholas portrayed enthroned, blessing with his right hand, carrying the open gospel book, the latter being inscribed in Greek majuscule with the verse 10:9 from John: 'I am the door, through me if any one may come in, he shall be saved, and he shall come in, and go out [...]', the saint wearing a white sticharion (the tunic) with two red clavi, supplemented by the epitrachelion, the epigonation (or nabedrenyk: the diamond shape accessory), and the epimanika, the traditional Episcopal sakkos replaced by the priestly phelonion, in this case decorated with checkered design, the only piece attesting to his role as a Bishop being the omophorion with cruciform decoration, the saint flanked by the half-length figures of Christ and his Mother, the former blessing and offering him the Gospels, the latter presenting him with the Bishop's omophorion (stole), the elaborately carved wooden throne with a tall back and a cushion, placed on a marble pedestal, the Greek inscriptions at the top identifying the figures, the dedication at the lower left corner explaining that the icon was offered by the servants of God, Michael and Konstantinos, the raised border decorated with foliate motifs, painted carefully with bright colours and gold, against a deep blue and gold background, with a red frame
37 3/8 x 22 5/8 in. (95 x 57.5 cm)
GREEK (POSSIBLY MOUNT ATHOS), CIRCA 1700
St. Nicholas portrayed enthroned, blessing with his right hand, carrying the open gospel book, the latter being inscribed in Greek majuscule with the verse 10:9 from John: 'I am the door, through me if any one may come in, he shall be saved, and he shall come in, and go out [...]', the saint wearing a white sticharion (the tunic) with two red clavi, supplemented by the epitrachelion, the epigonation (or nabedrenyk: the diamond shape accessory), and the epimanika, the traditional Episcopal sakkos replaced by the priestly phelonion, in this case decorated with checkered design, the only piece attesting to his role as a Bishop being the omophorion with cruciform decoration, the saint flanked by the half-length figures of Christ and his Mother, the former blessing and offering him the Gospels, the latter presenting him with the Bishop's omophorion (stole), the elaborately carved wooden throne with a tall back and a cushion, placed on a marble pedestal, the Greek inscriptions at the top identifying the figures, the dedication at the lower left corner explaining that the icon was offered by the servants of God, Michael and Konstantinos, the raised border decorated with foliate motifs, painted carefully with bright colours and gold, against a deep blue and gold background, with a red frame
37 3/8 x 22 5/8 in. (95 x 57.5 cm)
Literature
Les icones dans les collections Suisses, Exhibition Catalogue, Geneva 1968, catalogue entry 19 (illustrated)
Exhibited
Geneva, Musee Rath, Les Icones dans les collections Suisses, 14 June - 29 September, 1968
Special notice
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