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Oliver Samsinger
Virgin of Kataphyge and St. John, after a Byzantine Bulgarian Icon 14th Century

$2,620.08
£1,950.99
€2,200
CA$3,588.98
A$4,002.12
CHF 2,088.14
MX$49,107.55
NOK 26,578.65
SEK 25,182.70
DKK 16,747.80
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About the Item

The Virgin of Kataphyge with Saint John the Evangelist, after a Bulgarian Byzantine icon of the 14th Century. Egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso and wood. Author: Oliver Samsinger Measurements: (H) 39 x (W) 27 x (D) 2.5 cm. Weight: 1.8 Kg. The original icon, in the Sofia National Gallery of Art, is a processional icon. The positions of the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist in this icon are reminiscent of a Crucifixion scene. The Virgin bears the rare epithet of Kataphyge (Asylum). Her maphorion gives the impression of austere elegance and she wears purple shoes, which was also a privilege of the Byzantine emperor to underline his status. Saint John, depicted as an aged man, wears a himation that falls in light-colored folds. The desire for help (“asylum”), and protection from the Mother of God links the epithet “Asylum” (on the gold background, to the left of her head) with her standard image and her position in the scene of the Crucifixion. 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. Oliver studies the ancient tradition for the realization of icons: wooden support, egg tempera paint, gold leaf, special varnishes ... it is a long and very elaborate procedure by means of which he makes very personal replicas of important icons of the orthodox church. His icons have 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. THE TECHNIQUE This is how 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”.
  • Creator:
    Oliver Samsinger (1968, Austrian)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 15.36 in (39 cm)Width: 10.63 in (27 cm)Depth: 0.99 in (2.5 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Segovia, ES
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU744310190122

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