St. Demetrius
Type:
Icon
Period:
1869 year
Dimmensions (cm):
Location
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Town: Gotse Delchev
Church: St. Great Martyr George
Source
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Town: Gotse Delchev
Church: St. Great Martyr George
Description
The theme is treated in a vertical composition. Prevailing is the figure of Saint Dimiter, portrayed in full length, on horseback, at the moment when he is stabbing with his spear a brought-down warrior, lying in the icon's lower right corner. There is in the upper right corner an angel on a cloud, who is placing a wreath on the saint's head. The saint and the lying warrior are dressed in richly decorated full armour and boots. This is bishop Cyprian whom Saint Dimiter has saved from captivity by the barbarians. Painted behind the saint, seated in the saddle, is a small figure of a cleric in monk's clothing.
Iconographical technique: Tempera
The layer of the painting is a thin one, of a smooth texture, executed in the classic iconographic technique. The "probaster" technique had been used in the decorating of the saint's saddle. The nimbi are with engraved ornaments and the rich decoration on the armours, on the horse's harness and saddle, is executed with layers of pigment, applied in the velatura manner. The modelling is a fine and precise one, betraying the land of a very skilled painter. The varnish cover is laid thinly and unevenly. The gilding is made on bole with gold-leaf, subsequently polished. Liquid ground gold had been used in the modelling of St. Dimiter's mantle.
Base material: Wood
The icon's base is made of two softwood panels with two reinforcing beams. Pasted on the base's entire surface is a thin cotton cloth sheet. The ground coat is of plaster, laid in several layers, filling the texture of the cloth, and is well ground.
State, restoration traces and comments
No traces of any previous restorative intervention. There is above the head of the lying warrior a donor's inscription.
