Saint Phanourios – Gold Foil Printing with Sandblasting – Mount Athos

Description

Gold Foil Printing with Sandblasting: Saint Phanourios

An amazing gold foil print 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. An ancient church was found there with many damaged icons. Among them was a well-preserved image, on which the then Bishop of Rhodes, Neilos II Diaspirinos (1355–1369 AD), read the name of the saint: “Saint Phanourios.” In the image, 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 depiction of Saint Phanourios’ martyrdom remained for many years. It was part of an old cell that was renovated. The monks who saw its potential for use as an icon carefully cut and preserved the wood using techniques known on Mount Athos from the restoration of wooden iconostases.

Gold Foil Printing with Sandblasting: Features

In the image of Saint Phanourios, the iconographer monk used the technique of gold foil printing to create a work of exceptional beauty. Gold foil printing is a type of thermal printing technique. Thermal printing is the method in which a very thin sheet of gold is applied to surfaces such as wood, leather, cardboard, or plastic by pressing a heated embossed plate (cliché) onto the surface. Around the perimeter of the image, the technique of sandblasting is also used. Sandblasting is a process in which part or the entire surface is eroded by the pressurized application of sand.

Dimensions: 14.5 x 18 x 0.5 cm
Origin: Mount Athos