Crime-solving techniques applied to a medieval illuminated manuscript in Paris may have solved a centuries-old puzzle: The true identity of a leading Byzantine painter who injected a human touch into the rigid sanctity of Orthodox religious art.
Christina Sotirakoglou a handwriting expert, observes Byzantine paintings based on photographs prints, at her office, in Thessaloniki , northern Greece , Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Christina Sotirakoglou a handwriting expert, observes Byzantine paintings based on photographs prints, at her office, in Thessaloniki , northern Greece , Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
The art of Byzantium, that decorates churches across Greece, Serbia and other Orthodox countries, stands out for the stark formalism of its elongated, glowering saints, quasi-cubist mountains and doe-eyed Madonnas. Recent research by a Greek monk and linguistics scholar linked “Panselinos” with Macedonian School painter Astrapas. Now court handwriting expert Christina Sotirakoglou has matched lettering on a manuscript tentatively attributed to Astrapas with characters on a church painting in northern Greece, long seen as Panselinos’ best work.
Constantinos Vafiadis, a professor of Byzantine art in Athens who was not involved in the studies, said he found merit in the nickname theory and Astrapas link, even though it appeared more than one painter had undertaken the Protato project. Father Cosmas said Astrapas was an “extremely gifted painter ... with vast knowledge who harmonically combined the ancient, classical world with Orthodox Byzantine spirituality.”Artists’ signatures were not common at the time, although some survive from members of the Astrapas family. There are none by “Panselinos.”
“ was very difficult, because the writing on the wall paintings is in capital letters, and the painters subdued their personal handwriting to conform” with the traditional format, she said — rather like anonymous letter-writers’ attempts to disguise their true style. “The Marcian codex is written in very small lower-case letters.”“It’s a Phi that stands out, and is similar” in both the manuscript and the Protato painting, she said.
Painting Manuel Panselinos Thessaloniki Greece Istanbul General News Europe Lifestyle Entertainment World News Religion Christina Sotirakoglou Cosmas Simonopetritis Orthodox Church
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