Virgin Athonitissa – Gold Printing with Sandblasting – Mount Athos

Description

Gold Printing with Sandblasting – Virgin Athonitissa
Christian tradition suggests that the Mother of God visited Mount Athos several times, with references also made to her visit to the mountain with Saint John and others by boat. During her visits, the Virgin Mary saved many monks and pilgrims, monasteries, and the entire mountain from various misfortunes through the power of her faith. The image of the Virgin Athonitissa depicts her as the protector of the entire mountain, dressed as an Abbess and standing above Mount Athos. The feast day of the Virgin Athonitissa is celebrated on August 28.

Gold Printing with Sandblasting: Characteristics
In the depiction of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the monk iconographer used the gold printing technique to create a unique work of beauty. Gold printing is a form of thermographic technique. Thermography is the method in which very thin metallic foil is pressed onto surfaces such as wood, leather, cardboard, or plastic with the help of a heated engraved plate (cliché) pressing onto the surface. Around the image, the technique of sandblasting is also used, which is a surface treatment method that achieves the erosion of a part or the whole of a surface by blasting sand under pressure.

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