'' Tribute to the Eucharist'' was a painting made of egg tempera and gold leaf on a wood panel. The portable icon is attributed to Greek painter

Michael Damaskinos Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 1 ...

. Damaskino's existing catalog features over 100 known works. He was a member of the Cretan school of painting. He was from the island of Crete. His contemporaries were Georgios Klontzas and

El Greco Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El G ...

. Damaskinos traveled all over Italy for over twenty years. He spent a significant amount of time in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

. He adopted Italian mannerisms. He applied these new attributes to his paintings. He was friends with sculptor

Alessandro Vittoria Alessandro Vittoria funerary monument - San Zaccaria, Venice Alessandro Vittoria (1525–1608) was an Italian Mannerist sculptor of the Venetian school, "one of the main representatives of the Venetian classical style" and rivalling Giamb ...

. He had a collection of drawings obtained from other Italian artists. Namely the Mannerist Parmigianino. He was also exposed to the magnificent works of Italian painter Raphael. One of the most spectacular works of art created by Raphael was the ''

Disputation of the Holy Sacrament The ''Disputation of the Sacrament'' ( it, La disputa del sacramento), or ''Disputa'', is a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. It was painted between 1509 and 1510 as the first part of Raphael's commission to decorate with fresco ...

''. The work is a fresco of church figures debating Transubstantiation. The work is located in Vatican City. Damaskinos saw the work and created his own version of the masterpiece. He created a ''Tribute to the Eucharist''. Two versions of the painting survived the second one is in Platytera Monastery in Corfu, Greece. Many Greek painters copied Damaskino's work.

Andreas Karantinos Andreas Karantinos ( el, Ανδρέας Καραντινός, 1680 – 1740), also known as Andreas Karandinos. He was Greek Renaissance painter, educator and goldsmith. He was from Kefalonia. He was a member of the Heptanese School. His ...

and

Konstantinos Kontarinis Konstantinos Kontarinis ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Κονταρίνης, 1679 – 1738), also known as Konstantino Kontarini, was a Greek Baroque painter of the Heptanese School. He was heavily influenced by the works of Theodore Poulak ...

both created notable versions. Luckily the work was copied by other painters. The work is one of the most important works of the Cretan School because it was heavily reproduced. The portable icon is part of the collection of the Byzantine and Christian Museum.

Description

Allegory of the Holy Communion Michael Damaskinos

The painting is made of egg tempera and gold leaf on wood. It features a height of 54 cm (21.3 in.) and a width of 45.5 cm (18 in.). The portable icon was not well maintained. It contains some degree of damage. Christ is floating on a cloud similar to the magnificent work by Raphael. To our left, the Virgin Mary is present. The other main figure, John the Baptist appears on our right. They are in the traditional deesis form. Their garments are painted in the style following the mannerisms of the Cretan School. The four evangelists are presented in animal form. In front of the Virgin Mary, an eagle appears symbolizing John the Evangelist. Below the eagle, the

Lion of Venice The Lion of Venice is an ancient bronze sculpture of a winged lion in the Piazza San Marco of Venice, Italy, which came to symbolize the city – as well as one of its patron saints, St Mark – after its arrival there in the 12th century. T ...

is present. The divine creature symbolizes Saint Mark. On the side featuring John the Baptist, the symbol of Saint Matthew appears in the form of an angel holding an open book. Below the child-like angel, the ox of

Saint Luke Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...

emerges looking up at Jesus. The four creatures are frequently used by painters of the Cretan School and the Heptanese School. Two angels are at Jesus's legs. The angel to our left holds a holy cup receiving the blood of Christ. To our right, another angel holds a piece of bread. Both are symbols of the holy communion. His legs rest on an all-seeing eye. It features a decorative motif. The supernatural group of figures float on a cloud in the heavens. The figures appear weightless in a spaceless setting. The artist commits to representing the painted figures in a three-dimensional style. The symbols of the passion are carried by six angels in the upper portion of the work of art. To our left, three angels carry the cross, to our right the column of scourging appears. A well-preserved notable copy of the work is at the National Gallery of Athens.

Notable Copies

The work of art is one of the most important painted icons of the Cretan School. Two versions of the work are attributed to Michael Damaskinos. There are ten existing works with a similar theme and characteristics to Damaksino's masterpieces completed during 1550–1800. The ''Allegory of the Holy Communion'' by

is very well preserved, it is at the Byzantine & Christian Museum. Two versions are attributed to Stephanos Tzangarolas. One version is in a private collection in Kefalonia and the other is in the Church of Evangelistria in Kastro

Kefalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia ( el, Κεφαλονιά), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallenia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It ...

also has two versions attributed to him. One version is at the Byzantine Museum of Ioannina. The other version is at the Byzantine & Christian Museum in Athens. Georgios Mazokopos also painted a similar theme. The icon is at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Two versions have unknown authors. The Benaki Museum has one of the works with a forged signature of

Emmanuel Tzanes Emmanuel Tzanes ( el, Εμμανουήλ Τζάνες, 1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, and Emmanuel Tzane. He was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was an a ...

. The other unknown work is at the National Gallery of Athens. It was possibly completed by

Panagiotis Doxaras Panagiotis Doxaras ( el, Παναγιώτης Δοξαράς) (1662–1729) also known as Panayiotis Doxaras, was an author and painter. He was a prolific member of the Heptanese School. He was influenced by early members of the movement name ...

Gallery

File:Allegory of the Holy Communion (Karantinos).png, Allegory of the Holy Communion Karantinos File:Allegory of the Holy Communion.png, Similar work by Unknown Painter File:Ph Ernst (0,1).JPG, Raphael's Disputation of the Holy Sacrament

References

Bibliography

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External links

Discusses Style
{{Michael Damaskinos 16th-century paintings Paintings in Greece Cretan Renaissance paintings Paintings by Michael Damaskinos