Lot 100
Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 19th century CE. A finely painted Russian icon depicting Saint Demetrius (also spelled Demetrios or Dimitrios) of Thessaloniki, one of the most important military saints of the Orthodox tradition, on horseback slaying Lyaeos in a wooded setting. The back is wrapped with umber colored velvet further adorned with embroidery of a yellow ochre hue depicting a leafy pattern that may reference the owner's family crest or be a reference to the religious iconography. The periphery is handsomely framed with hammered brass sheet metal. Most impressive, the composition of this icon is replete with rich iconography. During the Middle Ages, Demetrius became a very popular Orthodox military saint. By the 11th century, he became the patron saint of the Rurik dynasty in Russia. According to the earliest written biographies, Saint Demetrius was born to Christian parents in Thessaloniki, Illyricum in 270. Around 306 CE, when he was a young man from a senatorial family, Demetrius was pierced with spears in Thessaloniki during the persecutions of Diocletian and Galerian. Henceforth regarded as a military martyr, Demetrius became quite popular in the Middle Ages, and just like Saint George, was a patron of the Crusades. Here we see the defeated Lyaeos at Demetrius' feet. While St. George is usually depicted spearing a dragon, Saint Demetrius is oftentimes shown spearing the gladiator Lyaeos, who was deemed responsible for killing numerous Christians. As we see in this example, Lyaeos is typically drawn significantly smaller than Demetrius, lying supine below Demetrius as if already defeated. This difference in scale along with Demetrius' superior position to Lyaeos was intentional, a strategic visual means of communicating who was the nobler of the two. Interestingly, according to traditional lore, it was not Demetrius who actually killed Lyaeos, but rather his disciple Nestor who was willed to defeat him via Demetrius' prayers. A wonderful example that displays the artist's command of line, form, and composition and also fuses several artforms, namely fine painting technique, metalwork, and the Russian embroidery tradition. Size: 10.75" L x 8.375" W (27.3 cm x 21.3 cm)
According to Eugenia Tolmachoff's "Ancient Russian Ecclesiastical Embroideries" embroidery was a highly developed artform in Russia. "It had always been part of the education and domestic duties of the well-born Russian woman. In aristocratic circles, indeed, needlework was an important accomplishment and one in which its members were carefully trained and took great pride." (Grant Press, November 5, 2010)
Provenance: Ex - Private James Byrnes collection, LA. Mr. Byrnes was the first curator for LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in the 1950's.
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#113744
- Condition: Painting, metalwork, and velvet have aged gracefully. Nice patina to brass. One nail missing. Overall excellent.
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