St. Nicholas
Type:
Icon
Period:
1848 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):
108
/ 56
/ 3
Location
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Town: Bansko
Museum: Museum complex
Source
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Blagoevgrad
Village: Teshevo
Church: St. Demetrius
Description
The theme is treated in the traditional manner. Saint Nicholas is portrayed in full length, dressed in archieratical vestments and with a mitre on his head. He is blessing with his right hand and in the other hand holds a metal-covered book. The portrayal of the saint is a very realistic one, with a powerful artistic effect. Painted against a blue background, his figure is sharply outlined.
Iconographical technique: Combined
Egg-and-oil, with velaturas and with a gilding on bole with gold-leaf. The iconographic treatment of the theme, the manner of painting and the fine details on the icon speak for a work of a very skilled icon-painter. The varnish cover is laid unevenly in two layers.
Base material: Wood
The base is a one-piece walnut panel, hand-made. Mounted on its upper and lower ends are two beams of softwood. The ground coat is laid in a thin layer.
State, restoration traces and comments
There are traces of previous restorative interventions. A dark red paint is laid over the indicative inscriptions in the medallions and overpainted are inscriptions in white letters. The partial damages on the brown frame have been touched up with a dark paint. There are brush strokes with it along the brown frame's entire length. There are also splashes of a hard white pigment along the length of the frame's right side.
