The Dormition of the Virgin
Type:
Icon
Period:
1840 year
Dimiter T. Molerov, born in 1780 in Bansko, son of Toma Vishanov the Moler. One of the best-known painters, a representative of the Bansko school of art, a disciple of his father, influenced by the art of Athos. Author of the murals of the naos in the St Archangels' paraclete in the Rila monastery, the murals in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in the Pchelino dependance. In 1840 and 1841 together with his son Simeon Molerov he paints the murals and the sponsors' portraits in St. Nicholas' and St. John of Rila's paracletes in the principal church in the Rila monastery. Among D. Molerov's major achievements in iconography are the following icons: St. Nicholas (1816) from St. Archangel Michael's church in the village of Leshko, Christ All-triumphant with Angels and Cherubim (1833), The Nativity and a Crucifixion from St Elijah the Prophet's church in the village of Usenovo. He has also worked in Belgrade on an invitation by Prince Milosh Obrenovich of Serbia. He died in 1870 in Bansko.
Dimmensions (cm):
66
/ 47
/ 2.5
Location
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Village: Osenovo
Church: St. Archangel Michael
Source
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Village: Osenovo
Church: St. Archangel Michael
Description
The central figures in the composition are the Holy Mother of God and Christ. She is laid on the death bed with her arms crossed on her chest and with closed eyes. Painted behind her is Christ in full length standing on a cloud, blessing with his right hand and holding in his left hand, swaddled as a new-born infant, the soul of the Holy Mother of God. Painted symmetrically on both sides are the twelve apostles (six on each side). Placed in the two groups of the apostles are two church hierarchs, holding open books. These are most probably James, the brother of God, and Hierotheus. Painted symmetrically on both sides of Christ are two archangels with outspread wings, with heads bent and hands crossed prayerfully on their chests. Painted in the foreground are the standing figures of St. Peter the Apostle with a censer in his right hand and St. Paul the Apostle at the legs of the lying Holy Mother of God. Temple buildings are painted on the right- and on the left-hand side in the upper part of the composition.
Iconographical technique: Semi-oil
The basic tone of the faces is greenish, and the overpaintings-ochre-brown. The transitions from shade to light are smooth. The garments of some of the figures are modelled by means of lighted tones, and the line-work elsewhere is made with liquid gold. The characters are portrayed with a fine and delicate modelling. The aureoles and the inner frame are gilded.
Base material: Wood
The base is a softwood panel with two inserted beams. The ground coat is of plaster, about 0,6 mm thick.
State, restoration traces and comments
No prior restoration has been detected.
