See the Book

TWO-REGISTER ICON: DEESIS AND THREE SAINTS

42 x 33.5 x 2.5 cm

Demetrios Zoukis, 7 June 1781

The icon is divided into two equal parts. In the upper register Christ, at the centre, holding an open gospel book in his left hand and blessing with his right, is flanked by the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist with hands crossed on the chest in a gesture of intercession. All three figures are portrayed to the thighs, projected against a pale rose-coloured ground and a deep blue sky with white clouds, in which are the inscriptions: MHTHP ΘEOY, IHΣOYC XPICTOC, ο πολυέλεος, O AΓIOC IΩANNHΣ O ΠPOΔPOMOC. In the gospel book the inscription: TAYTA / ENTΕΛΛΟ/MAI YM/IN INA / AΓΑΠΑΤΕ/TE AΛΛΗ/ΛOYC El /O KOΣMOC/ YMAC MI/ΣΕΙ, ΓINΩ/CKETE OTI/ EME ΠΡΩ.
In the lower register are three saints to the knees, against the same type of ground with blue sky and clouds. From left to right, Saint Nicholas, Saint Athanasios and Saint Julitta holding the little Saint Kerykos in her arms. Low down, between saints Athanasios and Julitta, is a red minuscule inscription: χεἰρ δημητρίου ζούκη ἀπὀ καλαρρύτες, 1781, ἰουνίου ζ’ (Hand of Demetrios Zoukis from Kalarrytes, 1781, June 7). Our icon is strikingly similar to an unsigned icon dated 1792 in the Museo Civico, Livorno,¹ with an analogous representation of the Virgin and figures of saints, the same decorative disposition and even the same type of clouds with angels.
Demetrios Zoukis is a well-known painter from Kalarrytes in Epirus, dated works by whom are noted from 1774 to 1808. He produced wall-paintings at Meteora and Kalambaka in 1782 and 1784 as well as icons in Meteora, Epirus and Thessaly.² Zoukis belongs to the particular local school of painters originating from Kapesovo, Linotopi and Kalarrytes that worked in Northern and Central Greece. His icon is characterized by good technique, careful drawing, rich colours and a simplistic rendering of traditional models in a manner verging on the vitality of folk art.³

CONDITION  Very good with slight damage at the bottom near the border.

BIBLIOGRAPHY  Chatzidakis 1987, 296-297.

NOTES

1. Dell’Agata 1978, no. 40, 98.
2. Chatzidakis 1987, 296-297.
3. Cf. Chatzidakis 1987, 109-113.