17th century on Roersma Iconpaintings

Our Lady of Kykkos

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 19:12:05 +0200

This icon is supposed to have been painted by Saint Luke. It was probably created in the early 11th century. The Emperor Alexius I Commenus presented it as a gift in 1082 to the Kykkos monastery on Cyprus. The Christ Child sits on his mother’s right arm, his legs dangling. She holds her Son’s left arm with her left hand. The Christ Child holds an opened scroll in his left hand.

The Virgin Hodegetria

Sat, 01 Aug 2015 14:56:40 +0200

The suffering Virgin with the Christ Child, with references in the top corners to the crucifixion: the cross with crown of thorns, the lance and the stake with the sponge. In the Western churches this icon is revered as the “Our Lady of everlasting relief”.

The Creation of Adam

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:22:25 +0200

This icon originates from the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi and depicts the creation of Adam in the top right-hand corner. Below it, Adam is shown naming the various animals.

It is a unique icon depicting animals which do not exist in the real world.

The edges are beautifully decorated with gold assist.

The Three Wise Men from the East

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:20:42 +0200

This icon from the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi is a transitional work in style and expression. The painter was probably familiar with the aesthetic West European Renaissance, which followed the Byzantine tradition.

The background has an unusual form and scenes are used that took place in different times in history.

The painter was clearly highly skilled in painting icons, softening the customary features of the traditional likeness while preserving the facial expressions.

Christ Pantokrator

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:16:26 +0200

Christ, dressed in priestly robes, is shown in a frontal, half-profile pose. He is depicted as the King of Kings. In his left hand he holds an open book, his right hand is raised in blessing.

Guardian angel (Michael)

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:03:55 +0200

A favourite icon in Russia since the 17th century, especially among the Old Believers. In his right hand he holds the cross of blessing and in his left hand the sword (symbol of protection). As a separate pictorial motif, the depiction was first seen in the Christian East in the late Middle Ages. Psalm 91:11-12 says: ‘For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways’

Saint Catherine

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:55:50 +0200

Saint Catherine is depicted in royal robes, with books and measuring instruments. The wheel is a symbol of the torment before her beheading. The cross and palm branch are references to her martyrdom. Saint Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai is named after her and according to the tradition her corpse was brought to this monastery from Alexandria.

Mother of God Glykophilousa (Vsysgranie)

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:49:47 +0200

The Mother of God holds her head slightly bowed and has the Christ child on her right hand. The Jesus Child is looking at the Mother of God, has a closed scroll in his right hand and holds his Mother’s chin with the left hand.The depiction is often shown in reverse. The Greek word glykophilousa means ‘gently loving, sweetly kissing: ‘vsysgranie in Russian means ‘playing with the child’.

Joachim and Anna

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:48:59 +0200

The Golden Gate in Jerusalem was a meeting place for Anna and Joachim. This icon is also called ‘The tender meeting’; the name ‘The conception of Mary’ was sometimes used.

Guardian angel (Michael)

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:48:13 +0200

A favourite icon in Russia since the 17th century, especially among the Old Believers. In his right hand the cross of blessing and in his left hand the sword (symbol of protection). As an independent pictorial motif the depiction first finds its way to the Christian East in the late middle ages. Psalm 91 verse 11 says: ‘For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.’

The Mother of God enthroned

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:18:13 +0100

This icon is originally early Byzantine and probably came into being for liturgical reasons. The Mother of God sits on a throne with Christ on her lap, one hand on his shoulder and the other at his feet. Christ is depicted with his right hand in blessing and in his left hand he holds a scroll. Above are two angels in a medallion.

Deesis Triptych

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:16:10 +0100

A triptych of the Deesis Group of Procopius Chirin and Nicephorus Savin. The left panel depicts from right to left the Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel and the Apostle Peter. The middle panel depicts the Lord Sabaoth with the child Emannuel, also known as the Lord of Hosts. The right panel depicts from left to right John the Baptist, the Angel Gabriel and Saint Paul.

Our Lady of Kykkos

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:14:51 +0100

The Saviour

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:07:00 +0100

Christ is in the centre in half-figure, his right hand extending a blessing and his left hand holding an open bible with the text: John 8:12, John 11:25-26 and John 12:36. “I am the light of the world”, “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die”, “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.”

The Virgin Vladimirskaya

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:04:58 +0100

This icon, painted in Constantinople for the ruler Isyaslav of Kiev, arrived in Kiev in 1132. From there it was taken away by his son Bogolyubski to his residence in Vladimir, from which the icon Vladimirskaya takes its name. In 1315 the Eleousa icon finally arrived in Moscow, where it consoled and heartened soldiers during several wars, and became known as the The Mother of Russian Soil.

Saint Catherine

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 12:59:04 +0100

The Crucifixion

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 12:49:55 +0100

Christ hangs on the Cross, surrounded by six angels. In the foreground are four weeping women, with the Virgin amongst them. To the right are John and the Roman centurion Longinus. In the cave one can see the skull of Adam. The kneeling figures in the foreground are probably the donors and/or the patrons of the icon.

The Virgin Emmanuel

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 12:44:14 +0100

This icon belongs to one of the very earliest pictures of the Virgin Mary. It is taken from the Book of Isaiah 7:7-14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Saint Nicholas and Mary Egyptica are depicted either side of the icon. After the Reformation in Russia in 989, this icon became the most important one in Novgorod.