LOT 0322

Greek Icon with Bust of Saint Eleutherios

18TH CENTURY A.D.

14 3/4 x 11 1/4 in. (1.9 kg, 37.5 x 28.7 cm).

A wooden painted icon of Saint Eleutherios with a repoussé silver oklad that covers all but the face, embossed in rich priestly robes, representing the priest's omophorion decorated with crosses, over an embroidered robe or sticharion, the nimbus gilded and embossed with foliage and rays over a silver background, Greek inscription 'O AΓΙΟΣ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΟΣ' (Saint Eleutherios) to the sides.

Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.

Cf. similar icon (style and face) of Nikolaos Kallergis (18th century), in Byzantine Museum of Zakynthos; for the iconography of Saint Eleftherios Charalambos D. Vasilopolou, Αγιος Ελευθεριος (Saint Eleftherios, in Greek), Livani, 2019.

As bishop in Illyricum, Eleutherios promoted the cause of at a time when the persecutions not only made it difficult to win and hold converts, but also at a time when the gravest danger was in being a high-ranking prelate of the Church. Oblivious to this threat, he was acclaimed in the inner circle of Christianity as the brightest luminary of Christian Rome since the apostles. His immense popularity grew and thereby became more dangerous to the state. He was finally brought to the attention of Emperor Hadrian, who ordered his arrest, and then cast into prison, tortured, and put to death on December 15th.