Russian school, XVIII-XIX century. St. Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, John Chrysostom. Oil on panel, embossed silver frame.

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By Setdart Auction House

Nov 3, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-11-03 08:00:00 2021-11-03 08:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : OLD MASTERS https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/old-masters-7786
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• Lot Description
  Russian school, XVIII-XIX century. St. Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, John Chrysostom. Oil on panel, embossed silver frame. Measurements: 35,5 x 29 cm. In this icon are represented three great hierarchs, masters of the Church, outstanding theologians, writers and preachers of their time, most venerated in the countries of the Christian world. Basil the Great (c. 329-379), was archbishop of Caesarea, fought the Arian heresy. His coreligionist Gregory Nazianzen (329-389), was bishop of Sasimia and later of Nazareth. After the death of his close friend Basil the Great, he had to assume the rank of archbishop of Constantinople against his will. Gregory wrote an elaborate treatise, which interpreted sacred characters such as the Holy Trinity. Like Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzen fought against heresies. His younger contemporary, John Chrysostom (347-407), bishop of Antioch, later patriarch of Constantinople, was deposed, exiled and died there; an outstanding interpreter of Holy Scripture. Famous as a preacher and denouncer of the sins of the powerful. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom are the creators of the liturgy. The writings of the three hierarchs were known in Ancient Rus in Slavic translations by the 11th century at the latest. In accordance with their eminent position among the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church, bearers and preachers of Divine Wisdom, they were, as a rule, represented in all monumental ensembles of the XI-XII centuries in the composition of the office of saints in the apses of churches. In Pskov, probably, there existed for a long time honored the three masters of the church. Several churches were dedicated to them there. The depiction of a group of hierarchs in the pose of solemn preachers is widespread in Russian icon painting since the 15th century. The present icon, although following the structure of the classical canon, is modified under the influence of Western painting. This influence is also evident in the use of oil instead of the traditional tempera. According to tradition, the saints are usually represented in isocephalic form, that is to say at the same level, and of equal size. In the case of this lot, they are placed in a triangular composition, elevating the importance of Gregory Nazianzen, since he is in the center of the composition. The presentation of the seated Pantocrator in the walnuts is the point of the compositional union. The Pantocrator emits a divine light, and its rays end in the nimbuses of Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. In turn, this symmetrical triangular composition is enriched by the invisible lines of the gazes, which add a particular dynamism and charm to this icon. The background alludes to an abstract representation of the sky, following the models of the European baroque, breaking with the traditions of icon painting. This fashion towards the Western appears in Russia since the beginning of the 18th century, coinciding with the reign of Peter I the Great, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that it would never leave the Russian artistic imaginary. This influence of European painting also affected the field of religious painting, however, to much lesser measurements than secular easel painting. The present icon is framed in an embossed silver frame, framing the face of the Pantocrator in a kind of oklad. This decorative element was probably added later.
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