Religious Icons

I have long had a fascination with the icon tradition of early and Eastern Christianity, but it is only recently that I have attempted to paint icons myself. Here are a few examples of both icons on gessoed wooden panels and some studies on artboard. I have used acrylic paints, rather than the traditional egg tempora, and the experience has been practically challenging and spirituallly nourishing.

Icons

Here are two icons of Christ enthroned, traditionally known as the Pantocrator icon, or ‘Ruler of all’. Look out for a blog on this theme soon. The left hand image is based on the sixth century Pantocrator icon in St Catherine’s monastery in Sinai (though probably painted in Constantinople) and the right hand icon is inspired by a Pantocrator icon I bought in Tblisi, the Republic of Georgia, displaying a distinctive Georgian iconographic style.

The crucifix is inspired by developments in thirteenth century Italian cricifix painting (a transition between Byzantine and early Renaissance interpretations), and the icon of St Hild of Whitby was the result of a commission from a friend.

Icon Studies

Here are some early examples of my experimenting with new materials and new ways of working. First is a preliminary rendering of the Sinai Pantocrator. Then there is a study of a Theotokos icon – Mary, the bearer of God, with the infant Jesus (I feel another blog coming on). On the right, we see Mary and Joseph, a study inspired by the work of the leading British iconogapher, Aidan Hart.

Finally, here is a copy, in watercolour and gouache on paper, of an illuminated crucifix in the thirteenth century Amesbury Psalter.