Folk Art of Europe & Rest of World »
Icon with Compendium of Saints
Ref: 3584
A terrific and large primitive icon painting on canvas from Serbia. It appears to have been painted as a "memento mori" or tribute to the young woman in the foreground - she is laid out like the Virgin in a Dormition but looks as much like Ophelia in child-like version of Millais. She lies on a bed of roses, with flower garland, and with a pretty linen dress embroidered in flowers - and there is a tradition of wearing special dresses of this kind in the funereal customs of the Balkans countries.
The man on the left with Bible in hand would be the donor, the manwho commissioned the work and he would be the father or husband of the woman. This painting spares no expense in some sense as it includes all the saints who were most popular amongst the peasantry in these parts of Europe, arranged in a circular design against a country landscape we see in the centre top the Pieta, an image of human suffering, and then various saints, St Nicholas, St Florian, St Roc and in the centre St Sebastien. The latter two are often associated diseases of skin and youthful suffering as both were young men.
The painting is painted in a primitive style indicative of a local painter, and is fresh looking as it has been cleaned and restored and then re-lined. If you look closely you can see the craquelure and age.
Serbia 19th cent
H: 92cm (36.2in)
W: 67cm (26.4in)
D: 2cm (0.8in)
£1150
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