ANDREAS RITZOS - ANDREAS RITZOS 1921 Candia/Crete - 1492 (Circle of) A VERY IMPORTANT AND MONUMENTAL ICON SHOWING THE MOTHER OF GOD OF THE PASSION FROM A CHURCH ICONOSTASIS Cretan, late 15th century Tempera on wood panel. The Mother of God portrayed half-length, looking at the beholder, supporting Christ on her left forearm, the latter leaning forward, turning his head towards the angel behind him and grasping his Mother's right hand. The two angels carrying the instruments of Christ's Passion. The garments of the Mother of God colored in complimentary deep red and blue, the stars on her forehead and the edges of her maphorion rendered in gold, Christ's white chiton decorated with lilies, his orange himation highlighted with dense chrysography. Against a gold background. The long inscription at right means: He who previously declared ''hail!'' to the All-Pure One now shows the symbols of the Passion, and Christ, clothed in mortal flesh, timorously fears on seeing them. Wearings, minor losses to the borders, minimally restored. Traces of a signature at the base of the icon. 85 x 64 cm. This iconography of the Mother of God was developed in Crete during the 15th century. One of the most famous, early examples of the subject is the icon painted by the celebrated Cretan iconographer, Andreas Ritzos, today at the Recklinghausen Museum. This icon bears stylistic similarities to Ritzos's icon as seen in the colors, the geometrical rendition of the folds and the fine, white highlights on the flesh. For similar icons see: I. Bentchev - E. Haustein-Bartsch: Muttergottesikonen, Recklinghausen 2000, cat. 85. M. Vassilaki: The Hand of Angelos, Athens 2010, Fig 28._x0013_ANDREAS RITZOS 1421 Candia/Crete - 1492 (circa) MUSEUM AND MONUMENTAL ICON WITH THE MOTHER OF GOD OF THE PASSION FROM A CHURCH ICONOSTASY Crete, late 15th century Composite of three boards with two sponki nailed to the back (lost). Egg tempera on chalk ground over canvas, gilding. 85 x 64 cm. Remains of a signature in the lower margin. The four-line inscription (tetrachstichon) to the right of the Christ Child is the typical explanation, which can be found in both Greek and Latin in the depiction - depending on the patron: 'Before he [Archangel Gabriel] saluted the all-pure one, he shows the instruments of suffering, but Christ, having become mortal flesh, sees them fearfully in agony. This inscription can also be found on an icon with the Mother of God of the Passion, which is now in the Icon Museum in Recklinghausen and is attributed to Andreas Ritzos. A three-part icon in Bari with St. Nicholas of Myra, Our Lady of the Passion and St. John the Theologian in Silence, which is also attributed to Andreas Ritzos, suggests an attribution of this icon to the artist or at least to his immediate circle due to its close stylistic proximity. Rubbing, minor loss of substance in the margins, min. rest. Literature: I. Bentchev - E. Haustein-Bartsch: Muttergottesikonen, Recklinghausen 2000, cat. 85. M. Vassilaki: The Hand of Angelos, Athens 2010, Fig 28.
Estim. 20,000 - 40,000 EUR