Items Similar to Virgin of Kataphyge and St. John, after a Byzantine Bulgarian Icon 14th Century
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11
Oliver SamsingerVirgin of Kataphyge and St. John, after a Byzantine Bulgarian Icon 14th Century
$2,612.91
£1,958.56
€2,200
CA$3,613.27
A$3,933.93
CHF 2,100.59
MX$47,488.68
NOK 26,408.21
SEK 24,562.71
DKK 16,761.59
About the Item
The Virgin of Kataphyge with Saint John the Evangelist, after a Bulgarian Byzantine icon of the 14th Century.
Egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso and wood.
Author: Oliver Samsinger
Measurements: (H) 39 x (W) 27 x (D) 2.5 cm. Weight: 1.8 Kg.
The original icon, in the Sofia National Gallery of Art, is a processional icon.
The positions of the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist in this icon are reminiscent of a Crucifixion scene.
The Virgin bears the rare epithet of Kataphyge (Asylum).
Her maphorion gives the impression of austere elegance and she wears purple shoes, which was also a privilege of the Byzantine emperor to underline his status.
Saint John, depicted as an aged man, wears a himation that falls in light-colored folds.
The desire for help (“asylum”), and protection from the Mother of God links the epithet “Asylum” (on the gold background, to the left of her head) with her standard image and her position in the scene of the Crucifixion.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Oliver Samsinger (Vienna, 1968) began to take an interest in icons in 1990. He undertakes several trips to Bulgaria, Greece, and Cyprus to see in situ the original works treasured in these three countries. This experience will be crucial in his life, since the studies carried out in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, and his stay on Mount Athos constitute his greatest impulse and motivation to dedicate himself to making his own works, in a self-taught way, inspired by the models Russians and Byzantines that he had seen so closely, applying all his technical and artistic skills to his creations.
Oliver studies the ancient tradition for the realization of icons: wooden support, egg tempera paint, gold leaf, special varnishes ... it is a long and very elaborate procedure by means of which he makes very personal replicas of important icons of the orthodox church.
His icons have been exhibited in the Diocesan Museum of Vienna; also in the old Carmelite Church (KarmeliteKirche) and the Villa Wertheimstein in the same city between 2003 and 2006, and have also had successful presentations in Spain.
THE TECHNIQUE
This is how the artist sums up the technique used by him to create the icon:
“The aim of these steps is to create a durable painting. The icon is eternal.
The first step is to choose a support, traditionally made of wood, from the center of the trunk to avoid warping it. For this purpose, two hardwood bolts were often used on the back to give the picture panel additional stability.
Often a frame is milled out. Then the image carrier is sanded smooth and now 12 or 14 thin layers of gesso are applied and sanded smooth as well.
Then the preliminary drawing is applied and the drawing board is prepared with a special preparation called bolus. This bolus can be polished to a high gloss. Afterwards, the gold leaf is
"shot" with special brushes. It dries up within a few hours and can now be polished with an agate. Gold leaf is real 24 carat gold .
Now the actual process of painting begins. Egg tempera is made fresh from egg yolk, water, and a little vinegar. This is used to prepare the color pigments.
Tempera painting is done in numerous layers from dark to light.
When the icon is finished, it is left to dry for a few months and varnished with a special varnish called Olifa made from boiled linseed oil and other ingredients”.
About the Seller
5.0
Gold Seller
Premium sellers maintaining a 4.3+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2002
1stDibs seller since 2017
71 sales on 1stDibs
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Segovia, Spain
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllThe Virgin of Tijvin (after a Russian Icon in the style of the 18th century).
Located in Segovia, ES
The Virgin of Tijvin (after a Russian icon in the style of the 18th Century).
Egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso over wood.
Measurements in centimeters: 45 x 36.5 x 3 cm / In inch...
Category
1990s Byzantine Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
$1,710 Sale Price
27% Off
Virgin of Tijvin, after a Russian icon of the 17th Century.
Located in Segovia, ES
Virgin of Tijvin, after a Russian icon of the 17th century.
Egg tempera, gold leaf on gesso over a wooden board.
Measurements in centimeters: 44 x 33 x 3 cm / In inches: 17.32 x 12.99 x 1.18 "
Author: Oliver Samsinger...
Category
1990s Byzantine Mixed Media
Materials
Gold Leaf
$1,045 Sale Price
33% Off
Icon of The Holy Virgin of Tenderness (Korsunskaya).
Located in Segovia, ES
Icon of THE KORSUN VIRGIN (KORSUNSKAYA), egg tempera, and gold leave on gesso, over a piece of wood.
Dimensions: (H) 26.5 x (W) 23.5 x (D) 3 cm.
Also called The Holy Virgin of Tenderness, represents the Mother of God and infant Christ in a tender cheek-to-cheek embrace.
The Virgin's hands tenderly surround the head and hands of the Child Jesus while he takes the cloak of the Mother of God with his left hand and plays with the fingers of his right hand, between his mother's neck and his own.
Two very old icons, from the 12th and 13th Centuries, painted on the same theme, are respectively in the Uspenskii Cathedral in Moscow and in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
This is how the artist sums up the technique used by him to create the icon:
“The aim of these steps is to create a durable painting. The icon is eternal.
The first step is to choose a support, traditionally made of wood, from the center of the trunk to avoid warping it. For this purpose, two hardwood bolts were often used on the back to give the picture panel additional stability.
Often a frame is milled out. Then the image carrier is sanded smooth and now 12 or 14 thin layers of gesso are applied and sanded smooth as well.
Then the preliminary drawing is applied and the drawing board is prepared with a special preparation called bolus. This bolus can be polished to a high gloss. Afterward, the gold leaf is
"shot" with special brushes. It dries up within a few hours and can now be polished with agate. Gold leaf is real 24-carat gold.
Now, the actual process of painting begins. Egg tempera is made fresh from egg yolk, water and a little vinegar. This is used to prepare the color pigments.
Tempera painting is done in numerous layers from dark to light.
When the icon is finished, it is left to dry for a few months and varnished with a special varnish called Olifa made from boiled linseed oil and other ingredients”.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Oliver Samsinger...
Category
1990s Byzantine Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
Panagia Paramythia Byzantine Style Icon, Egg Tempera on Wood, 24K Gold Leaf
Located in Segovia, ES
Panagia Paramythia (Mother of Consolation)
Artist: Oliver Samsinger.
Technique: Egg tempera on gesso and wood, with 24‑karat gold leaf.
Dimensions: 37 × 31 × 2.5 cm.
Description of...
Category
2010s Byzantine Portrait Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
Icon of Our Lady of Jerusalem with oklad by Oliver Samsinger
Located in Segovia, ES
Icon of Our Lady of Jerusalem.
Egg tempera on gesso and over a wooden board.
Dimensions in centimeters: 42 x 34 x 2 cm / In inches: 16.54 x 13-39 x 0-79 "
Author: Oliver Samsinger...
Category
1990s Byzantine Figurative Paintings
Materials
Brass
$2,736 Sale Price
20% Off
Byzantine Icon "Virgin of the Sign" (Orans) with Child Emmanuel
Cherubim
Located in Segovia, ES
Virgin of the Sign (Orans), with the Christ Child Emmanuel and Cherubim
Artist: Oliver Samsinger
Technique: Egg tempera on gesso and wood, with 24-karat gold leaf application.
Dimens...
Category
2010s Byzantine Portrait Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
You May Also Like
Late 19th Century Tempera - Icon of the Virgin Mary
Infant Jesus
Located in Corsham, GB
This late 19th-century icon depicts the Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus. The work demonstrates classical Byzantine painting techniques characteristic of Orthodox iconographic tradition....
Category
Late 19th Century Figurative Paintings
Materials
Pastel
Greek Icon of Madonna and Child
Located in Astoria, NY
Greek Icon of Madonna and Child, Oil on Panel, unframed. 11.25" H x 7" W.
Provenance: From a New York City Collection.
Keywords: Paintings, Oil painting, Religious Art, Christianit...
Category
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
19 th c Orthodox Maria with Jesus Tempera on Wood Icon
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Antique 19 th c Orthodox icon Maria with baby Jesus. Tempera on wood on gold leaf ornate background. Split in wood boards due to age. restored.
Category
Antique 1890s Paintings
Materials
Wood
$1,500 Sale Price
40% Off
Museum Quality Renaissance Masterpiece Virgin Mary
Infant Christ painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus
Italian 17th century
oil on copper, in tabernacle frame
Overall framed: 19 x 17 inches
Actual copper panel: 14.25 x 11 inches
Provenance: pr...
Category
17th Century Byzantine Figurative Paintings
Materials
Copper
Russian Icon of the Virgin of Tenderness (Eleousa), 19th Century
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Russia / 19th century / Icon The Virgin of Tenderness or Eleousa / wood / Religious
This poignant 19th-century Russian icon depicts The Virgin of Tenderness, also known as Eleousa, ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Russian Baroque Religious Items
Materials
Wood
Russian Icon of Kazan Mother of God
Located in Houston, TX
Russian Icon of the Kazan Mother Of God.
Beautifully decorated with cloisonne enamel at the edges.
The condition is good. Few damages are visible on the surface.
Russia, c. 1870s...
Category
Antique 1870s Russian Other Paintings
Materials
Wood
More Ways To Browse
Byzantine Antique
Antique Tempera Painting
Paintings Of Eggs
Antique Icon Painting
Orthodox Icons
St John Paintings
Preliminary Drawings
Byzantine Icons
Antique Orthodox Icons
Wooden Eggs
John Evangelist
Painting 14th Century
Tempera Icon
Russian Icon Mother Of God
Icon Painting Gold
Antique Byzantine Icon
John Golding Painting
Oliver Samsinger