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Oliver Samsinger
Byzantine Icon "Virgin of the Sign" (Orans) with Child Emmanuel & Cherubim

$1,789.24
£1,311.21
€1,500VAT Included
CA$2,463.19
A$2,505.58
CHF 1,430.72
MX$30,306.38
NOK 16,682.97
SEK 16,938.59
DKK 11,437.87

About the Item

Virgin of the Sign (Orans), with the Christ Child Emmanuel and Cherubim Artist: Oliver Samsinger Technique: Egg tempera on gesso and wood, with 24-karat gold leaf application. Dimensions: 43 x 38 x 3.3 cm. Support: Solid wood panel (possibly reclaimed and aged). Date: Contemporary. Description of the Work This icon is a sublime representation of the Virgin of the Sign, one of the most ancient and venerated Marian typologies in the Byzantine tradition. The Virgin is depicted in the majestic "Orans" posture, with her arms raised in a gesture of universal intercession and prayer. On her breast, as if in a living tabernacle, the Christ Child Emmanuel is revealed within a celestial medallion, symbolizing the mystery of the Incarnation: the Virgin containing God Himself. Flanking the Theotokos (God-bearer), two multi-winged cherubim watch over the scene, acting as guardians of the divine mystery and connecting the earthly plane with the celestial. The work, executed with impeccable technical fidelity, uses egg tempera to achieve the delicate nuances of the faces and garments, while the 24-karat gold leaf background radiates the uncreated light of divinity. A Work that Connects with History and Spirit More than a painting, this icon is a window into theology and prayer. The composition, rich in symbolism, not only narrates a passage of faith but invites the viewer to participate in it. Oliver Samsinger's mastery transforms wood and pigment into an object of spiritual power, a piece that dialogues with centuries of artistic and devotional tradition, destined to become the spiritual center of any space it inhabits. About the Artist Oliver Samsinger (Vienna, 1968) is a unique figure in contemporary sacred art. With over three decades of dedication to the study and practice of Orthodox iconography, his work is a testament to the vitality of ancient techniques. His formative journeys to the great spiritual centers of Greece, Russia, and Mount Athos have given him a profound understanding of the Byzantine canons, which he applies with rigor and sensitivity in each of his creations. His icons, exhibited in museums and private collections, are renowned for their authenticity, technical quality, and deep spiritual resonance.

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Icon of  The Holy Virgin of  Tenderness (Korsunskaya).

Icon of The Holy Virgin of Tenderness (Korsunskaya).

Located in Segovia, ES

Icon of THE KORSUN VIRGIN (KORSUNSKAYA), egg tempera, and gold leave on gesso, over a piece of wood. Dimensions: (H) 26.5 x (W) 23.5 x (D) 3 cm. Also called The Holy Virgin of Tenderness, represents the Mother of God and infant Christ in a tender cheek-to-cheek embrace. The Virgin's hands tenderly surround the head and hands of the Child Jesus while he takes the cloak of the Mother of God with his left hand and plays with the fingers of his right hand, between his mother's neck and his own. Two very old icons, from the 12th and 13th Centuries, painted on the same theme, are respectively in the Uspenskii Cathedral in Moscow and in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. 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. Afterward, the gold leaf is "shot" with special brushes. It dries up within a few hours and can now be polished with 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...

Category

1990s Byzantine Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

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