Panagia Axion Esti – Serigraph on Naturally Aged Wood – Mount Athos

Description

Axion Esti Icon on Naturally Aged Wood

The numerous iconographic types of the Virgin Mary, from images venerated as miraculous in Russia, such as this Russian Axion Esti, have also been used by monks of Mount Athos, who placed the image as a serigraph on naturally aged wood.

The original icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Axion Esti” was probably painted in Constantinople during the iconoclast period, and its artistic style is strictly Byzantine. The name comes from the hymn “Axion Esti,” the magnification sung in the Church during the Divine Liturgy immediately after the consecration of the Holy Gifts. According to Orthodox tradition, the hymn of Axion Esti was engraved by Archangel Gabriel on a stone slab and delivered to the monks to praise the Virgin Mary.

The uniqueness of this composition lies in the wood used for its creation. The wood was used for over 100 years in Mount Athos, in a cell that was recently renovated. With the artistic vision of the monks of the cell, the wood was repurposed for a second time. Using techniques that are useful in the conservation of iconostasis, the wood was treated in depth to stop the wear of time. Then, the image of the Virgin Mary was applied as a serigraph and artificially aged with special varnishes to match the style and texture of the old wood. The sweet image of the Virgin Mary, carefully crafted in detail, is adorned with a raised halo.

As the icon is handmade and the wood processing is done by hand, there may be slight variations in the wood, but not in the depiction.

The icon is available upon request.

Dimensions: 23 x 30 x 2
Origin: Mount Athos