The Nativity of St. John the Forerunner
Type:
Icon
Period:
From
the beginning of the
19 century
to
the end of the
19 century
Dimmensions (cm):
57
/ 44
/ 2.5
Location
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Village: Selishte
Church: St. Prophet Elijah
Source
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Village: Selishte
Church: St. Prophet Elijah
Description
The theme is treated in a composition of many figures against the background of a landscape: a city, surrounded by fortified walls, and a hilly terrain in front of it. Pictured in the center is Saint Elizabeth, lying in a bed. At her head, seated on a chair, is the prophet Zacharias with a book in his hand. Painted to the right of the feet of Saint Elizabeth is the group of maid-servants, taking care of the newly-born John. Further back, painted again is Saint Elizabeth, with the infant John, now hiding in the cave from a soldier, brandishing a sword in his hand.
Iconographical technique: Combined
A distemper painting, with oil added in the vehicle. The layer of the painting is thin, almost a velatura, applied primitively and roughly. The details of the composition are rendered sketchily. The varnish cover is applied evenly and thinly. The gilding is on bole with gold-leaf, polished.
Base material: Wood
The base is made of two wooden panels, joined by means of three inserted beams. The ground coat is of chalk, laid in several layers. The icon's back is also thickly ground-coated.
State, restoration traces and comments
There are no traces of any previous restoration work on the icon.
