Saint Julia – Aged Lithograph – Mount Athos

Description

Aged Lithograph with Saint Julia

Saint Julia (May 22) came from a noble family in Carthage and lived in the 5th century AD. According to tradition, she was sold into slavery in 439 AD to a Syrian merchant named Eusebius. During a journey with her master, the ship stopped at Cape Corso in northern Corsica. Julia did not disembark from the ship in order to avoid participating in the pagan ritual that her master would attend. The governor of the island, Felix, ordered her to sacrifice to the idols. Saint Julia refused and, with spiritual courage, confessed Christ. She was then nailed to a cross and martyred. Some scholars believe that Saint Julia may have been martyred by Saracen pirates.

Aged Lithograph: Features

In this particular image, the monk iconographer used the lithography technique to create a work of unique beauty. Specifically, using a lithographed copy of Byzantine art, the monk crafted this work following the traditional method of artificial aging, as he was taught in the iconography workshops of the Athonite State. In fact, the artificial aging of the icon is handmade, a process to which the monks of Mount Athos give special attention.

Origin: Mount Athos