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Oliver SamsingerThe archangel Saint Michael, after an icon of the 14th century
$2,038.60
£1,516.52
€1,700
CA$2,791.55
A$3,103.82
CHF 1,620.64
MX$37,781.04
NOK 20,678.70
SEK 19,374.96
DKK 12,941.16
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About the Item
Archangel Saint Michael after an icon from Constantinople of the 14th Century.
Artist: Oliver Samsinger
Technique: Egg tempera on gesso and wood, with application of gold leaf
Dimensions: 65 x 29 x 4.5 cm; In inches 25.2 x 11.42 x 1.77
Support: 4.5 cm thick wood
Date: Contemporary
Description of the Work
This icon depicts the Archangel Michael, one of the principal archangels in the Christian tradition, venerated as a celestial protector and leader of the heavenly hosts. The image follows the traditional canon of Byzantine art, with a symmetrical composition, symbolic colors, and a solemn expression characteristic of icons intended for devotion.
The archangel is shown standing, with outspread wings, holding in his right hand a staff or spear representing his spiritual authority, and in his left a celestial globe inscribed with Greek letters referring to Christ: "Χ", "Α", "Κ" (commonly used abbreviations for phrases such as “Christ conquers” or “Christ is Lord”). His garments combine red and blue, symbolizing humanity and divinity, respectively—attributes of the celestial messengers.
The background is covered in gold leaf, a technique traditionally used in iconography to express divine light and transcendence, eliminating any sense of earthly time or space.
Technique and Materials
The piece is executed using the egg tempera technique, one of the oldest and most enduring painting methods, which allows for great precision in detail and a characteristically matte finish. The paint is applied over a layer of gesso, spread on a solid 4.5 cm thick wooden support, providing the work with stability and durability.
The use of gold leaf not only enhances the visual appeal but also serves a theological and symbolic purpose, representing the radiance of the eternal.
This is how Oliver Samsinger, the artist, sums up the technique used by him to create the icon:
“The aim of these steps is to create a durable painting. The icon is eternal.
The first step is to choose a support, traditionally made of wood, from the center of the trunk to avoid warping it. For this purpose, two hardwood bolts were often used on the back to give the picture panel additional stability.
Often a frame is milled out. Then the image carrier is sanded smooth and now 12 or 14 thin layers of gesso are applied and sanded smooth as well.
Then the preliminary drawing is applied and the drawing board is prepared with a special preparation called bolus. This bolus can be polished to a high gloss. Afterwards, the gold leaf is
"shot" with special brushes. It dries up within a few hours and can now be polished with an agate. Gold leaf is real 24-carat gold .
Now, the actual process of painting begins. Egg tempera is made fresh from egg yolk, water, and a little vinegar. This is used to prepare the color pigments.
Tempera painting is done in numerous layers from dark to light.
When the icon is finished, it is left to dry for a few months and varnished with a special varnish called Olifa made from boiled linseed oil and other ingredients”.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Oliver Samsinger (Vienna, 1968) began to take an interest in icons in 1990. He undertakes several trips to Bulgaria, Greece, and Cyprus to see in situ the original works treasured in these three countries. This experience will be crucial in his life since the studies carried out in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, and his stay on Mount Athos constitute his greatest impulse and motivation to dedicate himself to making his own works, in a self-taught way, inspired by the models Russians and Byzantines that he had seen so closely, applying all his technical and artistic skills to his creations. This way, Oliver Samsinger became a contemporary artist specializing in Christian iconography. His work belongs to the Orthodox tradition, maintaining fidelity to classical techniques and canons, but with an updated execution and remarkable technical quality. Samsinger combines spiritual rigor with deep mastery of traditional materials, resulting in icons that are both objects of devotion and works of art, been exhibited in the Diocesan Museum of Vienna; also in the old Carmelite Church (KarmeliteKirche) and the Villa Wertheimstein in the same city between 2003 and 2006, and have also had successful presentations in Spain.
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