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Early Post-byzantine Icon of St George Slaying the Dragon on the Island of Thasos

Articles

• Δαδάκη, Σταυρούλα
• ΔΑΔΑKH, Σταυρούλα

An icon of St George on horseback slaying the dragon is preserved in the church of Ayios Nikolaos at Prinos on Thasos. The icon, which measures 62x44 cm., depicts St George in the type of the mounted dragon-slayer (Figs 1 and 2). The saint, wearing military uniform and a bright red cloak, is shown on a greyish white horse killing the dragon, which lies at the horse's feet. At the right of the icon rise the fortifications of a castle-town with the royal couple standing on the walls (Fig. 2). At bottom right is the princess, and the angel of the Lord emerges in the top right corner of the icon. On the gold ground at the top, in red letters, is the inscription Ο AriOC ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΟ Ο ΤΡΩΠΕΟΦΟΡΟϋ ('Saint George the Trophy-bearer'). The saint's face is rendered by a dark green preparation with white highlights emphasising his eyebrows, beard and neck. The horse is rendered with freely applied, broad brushstrokes of a blue colour. The icon is dated to the 15th century by its stylistic and iconographie features. The life of St George was a very popular subject for icons as early as the Middle Byzantine period. The slaying of the dragon was one of the most popular scenes illustrated in portable icons. In its basic features, the iconographie type of this work follows that formulated by the painter Angelos in the 15th century, which was very widely disseminated over the following centuries. A number of differences, however, enable us to posit the existence of a famous model, on which the painter of the icon from Thasos drew.

• Arts
• History and Archaeology

• Arts and religion

• http://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/deltion/article/view/4390
• http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.655