Scenes of Christ's Passion, Georgios Klontzas

This folding icon was originally a triptych (three-paneled icon); the right wing is now lost. The panels that remain depict, on the left, christ on the road to calvary and, on the right, the crucifixion. This icon is an excellent example of the art produced on the greek island of crete (then under venetian control), where the byzantine tradition of icon painting had survived the fall of the empire. The strong color contrasts, fluid highlights, and contorted poses of the figures suggest that the icon was painted by george klontzas, one of the most innovative cretan icon painters of the late 16th century. Date: between 1550 and 1600 (Early Modern). Place of creation: Crete, Greece. Dimensions: 18.7 × 14.5 × 3.5 cm (7.3 × 5.7 × 1.3 in). Medium: tempera on wood. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Georgios Klontzas - Scenes of Christ's Passion - Walters 37628 - Open