18th Century Icon: St. Demetrius Slaying Skyloyan | Tempera on Wood

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Traveling Man Treasures is selling this extremely rare hand-painted wood church tile from Thessaloniki, Greece. The gorgeous tile is estimated … Read more Traveling Man Treasures is selling this extremely rare hand-painted wood church tile from Thessaloniki, Greece. The gorgeous tile is estimated to be from the mid 18th century, and was created specifically for a Greek Orthodox Church in the area. An earthquake destroyed the church in which it was displayed (date unknown) and this tile was recovered in 1957. The tile is in fair condition as shown and no restoration work has been done on the piece.

This type of artwork is often confused with another similar iconic image": "St. George and the Dragon", and the original collector made this error. The image of Saint Demetrius on horseback, detailed here in red, represents him protecting the city of Thessaloniki from attackers, specifically interpreted as the 13th-century Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan ("Skyloyan" or "John the Dog") who threatened the city.

DIMENSIONS: 7.5" H x 7" W x .75" D

Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki (d. 306 AD) is a major Greek Orthodox saint often depicted in iconography as a soldier on a horse, symbolizing his role as a protector of Thessaloniki against invaders. Contrary to popular belief, the figure he is commonly shown slaying is not a dragon, but a historical or allegorical enemy, such as the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan or possibly the pagan gladiator Lyaeus. See less