The Archangel Michael

It is very likely that this icon forms part of a Deesis. The title ‘Supreme Leader of the Heavenly Host’ refers to the rank of the archangel in the celestial hierarchy. The cryptogram on the globe has been deciphered and means ‘Christ the righteous Judge’. The painting is typical of the Byzantine style, the effect of depth and light on the shapes being achieved using a network of fine white lines.