17. Imperial Icon on wood, "Jesus Christ", Wallachia, post-Brancoveanu school, mid 18th century

Identification of iconographic and stylistic elements: Against a blue background, Jesus Christ is depicted blessing with his right hand, while holding the closed Gospel in his left one. He is clad in a red chiton, decorated with a golden-yellow loros, and a blue himation, ornamented with a floral pattern in yellow. Around his head, he wears a golden halo. The painter is talented and seems to have been trained in a workshop in Wallachian Country, using models established in the Brâncoveanu era. The icon stands out through compositional and chromatic balance. The face and hand are rendered in the style of the painting from the time of Constantin Brâncoveanu, however the transitions from shadow to light are starker, and the features of the face owe more to a sharper graphism. The folds of the garments are correctly depicted, but schematic and less elaborate. The inscriptions marking the name are beautifully calligraphed and painted in white. Technical identification elements: The wooden panel of the icon is composed of a single piece, without cross pieces. The wood is planed on the front side, and the raised frame is painted in golden-yellow and red. Conclusions: The icon of Jesus Christ could have been the central icon in the Apostles' frieze from an iconostasis, according to the iconography and the shape of the panel. The icon possesses all the qualities of post-Brâncoveanu painting, being created by a talented painter (A.D.).

Dimensions

width 39 cm, height 57 cm

Description

tempera on wood

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