Antique Greek Orthodox Gilded Hand-Painted Egg Tempera Double Sided Icon, 1850

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Antique 19th Century Greek Gilded Hand-painted Egg Tempera, Double Sided Icon, with Cyrillic Text, circa 1850.

This extraordinary double-sided icon … Read more Antique 19th Century Greek Gilded Hand-painted Egg Tempera, Double Sided Icon, with Cyrillic Text, circa 1850.

This extraordinary double-sided icon honors four Saints of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Painted with traditional egg tempera with gilding on a wood panel, and encased in a wooden frame.
The icon depicts a pair of saints to both sides, to the front is: Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki on the left and Saint Tryphon of Campsada to the right, Demetrius is depicted as a young military saint in armor with a golden breastplate, holding a martyr's cross and a spear.
Saint Tryphon: is dressed in a traditional monk's or monastic cloak and cowl, holding a string of prayer beads (chotki) and a small cross.
The verso depicts Saint Haralambos, the elder shown on the right with a long, flowing white beard. He wears a red phelonion (vestment), raises his right hand in a traditional sign of blessing, and holds a closed Gospel book in his left. Saint Visarion (Vissarion) stands to the left, partially framed, wearing a green vestment and holding a closed holy book. Both names are written directly on the background in a stylized cursive script next to their respective halos.

This icon dates to the middle of the 19th-century, Greek or possibly of Balkan origin. Condition is very good, this unusual double sided antique Greek Orthodox icon is ready to hang on your wall. See less