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Artist
Russian Icon
Title
St. Basil with Scenes from His Life
Date
16th century
Culture
Russian
Medium
Tempera on wood panel
Dimensions
108.3 x 82.6 cm (42 5/8 x 32 1/2 in.)
Accession Number
1980:001
Credit Line
St. Basil with Scenes from His Life, 16th century, Moscow School, tempera on wood panel, 108.3 x 82.6 cm (42 5/8 x 32 1/2 in.), Putnam Foundation, Timken Museum of Art
Full view of St. Basil with Scenes from His Life
Description
Saint Basil, a fourth-century archbishop and Doctor of the Church, established the basis of monastic life in the Eastern church. He was the leader of a sect of orthodox believers and was active in helping the needy. He built a hospice and a large complex to minister to the sick and attracted huge crowds with his preaching.
In this icon he is shown full-length with a Gospel book in his left hand; his right is raised in a two-fingered blessing. A three-quarter-length figure of Christ is depicted in a roundel above his right hand; another of the Blessed Mother appears in a roundel above the Gospel. Fourteen
scenes of Saint Basil's life surround the main figure. The size of this icon suggests that it once hung on a church wall.

Related Information / Media

Provenance

George R. Hann, Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania; Acquired by the Putnam Foundation, 1980

Exhibited

Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, 1944, Collection of George R. Hann, no. 65; New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art,1944; Syracuse, N.Y.,
Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts; Columbus, Ohio, Columbus Gallery of Fine Art; Indianapolis, John Herron Art Museum; Oberlin, Ohio, Allen
Memorial Art Museum, 1944-45, Exhibition of Russian Icons from the Collection of George R. Hann no. 33;The Saint Louis Art Museum, 1945,
Russian Icons and Objects of Ecclesiastical and Decorative Arts.
.

Literature

George Every, Christina Mythology (London, 1970), p.69, ill.; Tamara Talbot Rice, Russian Icons (London, n.d.), pp. 34, 35, pl. 28; Jerry E.
Patterson, "Russian Icons from the Hann Collection," Connoisseur 213 (April 1980): 242, ill.

Note

This record has been reviewed by Timken Museum of Art staff and may be incomplete or contain errors. Our records are constantly revised. Inquiries about provenance are advised to contact the Director of Curatorial Affairs: curator@timkenmuseum.org.