Saint Great Martyr George and Saint Great Martyr Dimiter
Type:
Icon
Period:
The beginning of the
19 century
Toma Vishanov-Molera, born around 1750, painter of icons and murals, founder of the Bansko school of art. He grew up in the family of the clergyman Vishan. Around 1765 he went to Vienna, where he studied painting. It is not known who were his teachers there or when he returned to Bansko. His fellow villagers called him the Moler, Molera(from German Maler ‘painter’), whence the entire family's surname. Under the influence of the European 18th century art Toma Vishanov painted his works in a new manner, unknown until then in Orthodox art. The figures are realistic, vivid, expressive. Toma Vishanov is an innovator in the early period of Bulgarian Renaissance. His ideas on art were not understood and at first were rejected by his contemporaries. His work has not been studied extensively. He died after 1811 in Bansko.
Dimmensions (cm):
29.5
/ 22
/ 2
Location
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Town: Bansko
Church: St. Trinity
Source
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Town: Bansko
Church: St. Trinity
Description
A traditional iconographic treatment of the theme. The saints are portrayed in full length, in full armour, against a pale blue background. Saint George has a red mantle on his shoulders, and Saint Dimiter - a dark green one. Typical is the rich Baroque decoration on the armour of the saints.
Iconographical technique: Combined
With velaturas. Used has been the "wet into wet" method in the carnations.The gilding on the aureoles is with golf-leaf and engraving.
Base material: Wood
The icon's base is a one-piece softwood panel with two inserted beams. The ground coat is of plaster, laid thinly.
State, restoration traces and comments
There are damages on the background and traces of retouchings in the area of the mantles and the armour of the saints, and also in the icon's lower part.
