Saint Phanourios – Gold-Embossed Icon – Mount Athos

Description

Gold-Embossed Icon of Saint Phanourios

An extraordinary gold-embossed icon of Saint Phanourios.

Saint Phanourios (August 27), this beloved saint, remained unknown for many centuries. He became known when his icon was accidentally discovered on the island of Rhodes in the 14th century AD. There, an ancient church was found with many damaged icons. Among them was a well-preserved icon on which the then Metropolitan of Rhodes, Neilos II Diasporinos (1355–1369 AD), read the name of the saint, “Saint Phanō.” In the icon, the saint is depicted as a young soldier holding a cross in his right hand, on which a lit candle was placed.

In the earthly Paradise, Mount Athos, the wood bearing the impressions of the martyrdoms of Saint Phanourios lived for many years. It was part of an old cell that was renovated. The monks who saw its future use as an icon carefully cut and preserved the wood using techniques known on Mount Athos from the conservation of wooden iconostases.

Gold-Embossing with Sandblasting: Features

In the icon depicting Saint Phanourios, the monk iconographer used the gold-embossing technique to create a uniquely beautiful work. Gold embossing is a type of thermo-printing technique. Thermo-printing is the method by which a very thin metallic gold foil is applied onto surfaces such as wood, leather, cardboard, or plastic by pressing a heated embossed plate (die) onto the surface. Around the perimeter of the icon, the sandblasting technique is also used; this technique involves the erosion of part or all of a surface by blasting it with sand under pressure.

Dimensions: 21 x 16.5 x 2 cm.
Origin: Mount Athos