Deisis Frieze

Type: Icon

Period: The first half of the 19 century

Author: Dimiter Molerov

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.

School: Bansko Iconographic School

Dimmensions (cm): 25 / 105 / 3

Location

Country: Bulgaria

Province: Montana

Town: Berkovitsa

Gallery: Art Gallery

Description

A traditional iconography, this part of the Apostolic frieze beginning, from left to right, with Saint Evangelist John the Theologian, Saint Evangelist Luke, Saint James, Saint Simon and Saint Thomas.

Iconographical technique: Combined

The "wet into wet" method has also been made use of in the carnations. There is some gilding with gold-leaf only on the aureoles of the saints.

Base material: Wood

The base is one-piece softwood panel, without any beams. The ground coat is of plaster, thinly laid.

State, restoration traces and comments

There are destructions on the image of Saint Thomas, and there is an overpaying in the frieze's lower corner on the hand and on the beard of Saint James.