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St. Panteleimon

Painting
Tempera and oil on curved wooden panel bordered in green and geometric designs in gold leaf and red paint. The central image features a brown haired young man shown from the waist up holding a golden spoon and square box. He is clothed in pink and turquoise robes. Black Cyrillic alphabet captions flank him on either side in the central painting.

2005.02.078

Panel

TemperaOil

Betsy Scheuring Icon Collection

2005.02

Betsy Scheuring

Gift

Gift of Betsy Scheuring

circa 1850

Moscow, Russia

Icon

Symbol, Religious

Religious Objects

Ceremonial Objects

Category 08: Communication Objects

14 in

11-1/4 in

1-1/2 in

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Cultural/Historical Context

"St. Panteleimon lived in Nicomedia at a time when Christians were persecuted under the emperor Diocletian. He became a healer and gave money to the poor. Panteleimon confessed to being a Christian in front of the emperor in 309 CE and was sentenced to torture and beheading. Legend holds that no harm came to him during the numerous moments of torture and that he could not be beheaded until he blessed such an act. As an “Unmercenary Physician,” he is shown holding a spoon and a box of instruments. The detailed serrated halo surrounding St. Panteleimon’s head is incorporated into the background, and the sumptuous use of gold leaf and red coloring offsets this saint. The realistically shown drapery, three-dimensional shading, well-proportioned features, and softened modeling attest to western artistic influence."

St. Panteleimon picture number 1