Speaking without any knowledge of western art history, but with a lifetime
acquaintance with Orthodox icons, I would hazard a guess that you have an
image of Saint Panteleimon who is one of the much venerated "Unmercenary
Physicians" and because of his youth can be mistaken for a young lady. He is
usually depicted with a little medicine box and spoon.
If you take the icon to your local Orthodox church, odds are that the priest
will recognise it. The traditions of iconography allow easy identification
of subject matter.
Fr Ambrose
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Hieromonk Ambrose
Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church
PO Box 27 563 / Wellington / New Zealand
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Tel: +64(0)4-384-7211 / [log in to unmask]
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-----Original Message-----
From: Sherry Reames <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, 15 September 1999 05:55
Subject: Image of a Saint with Unfamiliar Emblem
>I'm just forwarding an inquiry that I hope will ring a bell with one or
>more the art historians on this list.
>
>SR
>
>>Return-Path: [log in to unmask]
>>Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 00:10:12 -0400
>>From: Alan Wilkinson <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>Greetings from Kingston, Ontario, Canada,
>>
>> I recently purchased a very interesting image of
>>what appears to be a Christian saint in an antique shop. It is small - 9
>>cm tall and 6.5 cm wide. Under 10X magnification it has the appearance
>>of a nineteenth century chromolithograph. There is no evidence of
>>conventional photographic reproduction with half-tone screens, benday
>>dots, etc. What makes this image even more interesting from a technical
>>standpoint is that it appears to have been printed on very fine gessoed
>>canvas that has been attached by hand to a cedar panel approximately 1
>>cm in thickness. The figure is female, clothed in a green robe with a
>>red cloak. Both the cloak and robe are bordered in gold. The background
>>is gold with subtle patterning on it. There is a halo consisting of two
>>red circles and one gold one. The hair is brown, wavy, and is neatly
>>styled. The nose and neck are elongated and the yes large and deeply
>>set. It has a somewhat Byzantine effect.
>>
>>The image itself poses the most important question that I cannot seem to
>>answer. The figure holds in her right hand what appears to be a long
>>handled gold spoon. In the left hand she holds an open gold box that is
>>too small to hold the spoon. The box is open and a cross is visible on
>>the underside of the open lid. I'm quite sure that I am not mistaking
>>the spoon for pincers or tongs. Is this a saint? If so, which one? I
>>have checked a number of standard reference books such as The Oxford
>>Dictionary of Saints and cannot find this saint. Can you give me any
>>help identifying this figure?
>>
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