Lot 194B
Greece, ca. 19th century CE. A Greek Orthodox wooden icon depicting the "Presentation in the Temple" (Luke 2:22-39) painted in egg tempera and varnish. The artist captures all the key elements of the famous biblical scene in which the infant Jesus is brought by Mary and Joseph to the Temple of Jerusalem to be 'consecrated by the Lord.' A devout and elderly man named Simeon came to the Temple, for it had been disclosed that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. He took the infant Christ in his arms and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace . . . " The central figures depicted here are Mary and the high priest. He is in the act of handing Jesus back to her. Joseph to Mary's immediate right holds a cage with a pair of white doves, an allusion to the theme of Purification. Anna, an aged prophetess, stands to Joseph's immediate right. A beautiful example painted in rich jewel tones, the composition very much derived from the Baroque period with a dramatic curtain pulled back to reveal the scene, the palette showing strong contrasts of light and dark (known as tenebroso or tenebrism) typical of the Baroque. [According to scholar John Yiannias, "In the Orthodox world the fall of Constantinople in 1453 accelerated the development of national styles within the Byzantine tradition - Greek, Serbian, Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Arabic - but also led to the gradual adoption of Renaissance and Baroque ideas from the West, until in the nineteenth century the Byzantine essence of Orthodox art was barely discernible beneath the Western overlay." (http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith8025 - cited 6/9/2016)] Note the burn marks on the surface reveal that a candle was set before this icon when in use. A wonderful example skillfully painted with traditional techniques on gracefully aged wood in a Baroque-inspired style. Simply wonderful! Size: 14.25" L x 9.5" W (36.2 cm x 24.1 cm)
Provenance: Ex - Private California collection
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#115559
- Condition: Burn marks and minor surface losses commensurate with candle lighting and use.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |