Greek Triptych Icon With The Deesis And Saints, Greece 17th Century

GREEK TRIPTYCH ICON DEPICTING THE DEESIS AND SAINTS
Greece, 17th century

Tempera on panel with gold ground

Icon Closed: 42 x 28 cm
Icon Open 42 x 53 cm

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A pleasant and rather rare triptych icon is examined here, with a tabernacle-like structure with two folding side panels, depicting ‘the Deesis’, which means prayer in Greek. It is a representation with the blessing Christ in the centre, the Virgin Mary on the left and St. John the Baptist on the right, both in the act of praying with the function of interceding for the sins of the faithful, in our case protected by two angels behind them.

Jesus is depicted as the ‘High Priest’, dressed as a bishop with a crown, the homophorion (the stole around his neck) and the epigonàtion (an embroidered cloth rhombus worn at the level of the right knee).

He blesses with his right hand, his fingers forming the Greek letters IC XC, ‘Jesus Christ’ in Greek, while in his left hand he holds the Gospel, showing the passage: ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared’ (Matthew 25:34)

The left wing of the triptych depicts on the other side: St Nicholas, St Constantine and St Helen, and at the bottom St George piercing the dragon.

The right wing, on the other hand: St Alexander, Saints Peter and Paul, and below St Demetrius piercing a Moor.

Both St. George and St. Demetrius are the most revered warrior saints in Eastern Orthodoxy; the two are often depicted together, both wearing armour and a cloak on the back of a horse, red for St. Demetrius and white for St. George. Another element that allows us to distinguish them is their target: St. George pierces the dragon, symbol of the defeat of the evil one, while Demetrius with a long spear threatens the Bulgarian king Kalojan.

This type of tripartite icons are very rare and prized collectibles. In our case, moreover, we are faced with a work of undoubted quality of execution and value, especially when analysing the descriptive details rendered with the precision usually reserved for miniatures. Great meticulousness was specifically dedicated to the rendering of the protagonists and their faces.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold with a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic card.

We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.

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In case of purchase of the work by non-Italian customers, it will be necessary to obtain an export permit, which takes about 10/20 days; our gallery will take care of the whole phase until it is obtained. All costs of this procedure are included.

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