"john the baptist - angel of the desert". Michael damascene, circle. Late 16th century, crete. Wood (composite board), tempera, gilding. 85. 5x39. 5 cm. The pushkin state museum of fine arts. Zh-4314 restored in 1990-1991 in the workshop of the a. S. Pushkin state museum of fine arts, restorer s. Gerasimov. The board is composed of two parts, dowels. The board is significantly cut on the right and left, part of the image is lost. Loss of gesso and paint layer, renewed in places. Counts and halos are circled. Inscription on the scroll: "repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (matthew 3:2. ) iconographic information: the iconographic type of the winged john the baptist has been known since the palaeologus era. This version was widely used in cretan icon painting thanks to angelos. The image is inscribed in a narrow field of the board, such a composition also goes back to the school of angelos. Stylistic information: the elegant drawing preserves the traditions of the 15th century. The engravings in some places do not match the drawing. The personal letter uses different techniques. The ascetic face of the standing john is executed in an iconographic manner with a very dark brown carnation, dark ochers, cinnabar accents. The cheekbones are noticeably emphasized. The highlights are combined with only slightly outlined chiaroscuro. The head in the bowl is painted differently. Deathly olive ochers and smooth highlights are laid over the brown carnation. Iconographic techniques are combined with western naturalism. The almost portrait face of john is distorted by a deathly grimace. Italian influences are also evident in the rendering of the slides, which also stylize the techniques of the angelos school. The dark olive cloak, light blue mantle, turquoise wings and light hills are harmoniously combined in the color scheme. The combination of icon painting tradition and knowledge of italian art, orientation towards the angelos school, composition, freedom of interpretation of volumes and hills, as well as brown carnation, color scheme are close to the circle of works by michael damaskinos. See the icons of this master "john the baptist" from the zakynthos museum and "our lady of the bush". However, the style of this icon is somewhat dry. Perhaps the icon belongs to the school of michael damaskinos. Date: Late 16th century.
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