THEOPHANES the Cretan - The Ascension - 1546
Stavronikita Monastery, Mount Athos
Matthew 28:16-20Collect for Ascension Day
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.The icon is exquisite. The colors are gorgeous; the figures are graceful and beautifully highlighted; the balance of the arrangement of Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, and the angels is wonderful. I don't know how to read icons, but I see inspiration and soul food in the image above.
About the artist:
Theophanis Strelitzas (Θεοφάνης Στρελίτζας), also known as Theophanes the Cretan (Θεοφάνης ο Κρης) or "of Crete" or "Theophanes Bathas", was a leading icon painter of the Cretan school in the first half of the sixteenth century, and in particular the most important figure in Greek wall-painting of the period.Image from The Web Gallery of Art.
Biographical information from Wikipedia.
"God is gone up with a merry noise and the Lord with the sound of the trump."
ReplyDeleteLapin, for shame.
ReplyDeleteI rather thought I had been a good boy in that I had not speculated about flying trumps.
ReplyDeleteWiki's brief entry on Theophanes the Cretan states "He should not be confused with Theophanes the Greek (Feofan Grek), an icon painter who worked in Muscovite Russia in the late fourteenth century".
Lapin, you've spoiled "trump" for me forever. :-)
ReplyDeleteSpoiled or enhanced?
ReplyDeleteTactfully, I draw your attention again to Wiki's observation that Theophanes the Cretan "should not be confused with Theophanes the Greek".
Lapin, thank you. I finally caught on and fixed the post.
ReplyDeleteI should give up blogging for a while, because my heart is not really in it, and I'm doing a piss-poor job of it at the moment.