Victor ( el, Βίκτωρ, 1630/1635–1697) was a painter active during the 17th century. He represented the late

Cretan school Cretan School describes an important school of icon painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian rule during the late Middle Ages, reaching its climax after the Fall of Constantinople, becom ...

. He was influenced by

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 ...

. He kept his style simple and followed the lines of the improved

maniera greca Italo-Byzantine is a style term in art history, mostly used for medieval paintings produced in Italy under heavy influence from Byzantine art. It initially covers religious paintings copying or imitating the standard Byzantine icon types, but pa ...

which was heavily influenced by the Venetian school. One of his main influences was

. He was active when four different artists used the name Victor. He has a huge catalog of work attributed to him. According to the Neo-Hellenic Institute, ninety-five of his paintings and one fresco survived. He was an extremely popular Greek icon painter.

History

Victor was born in

Heraklion Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of 211,370 (Urban A ...

. He was a monk. He worked and lived in Chandaka. He was a priest at the Church of Agios Ioannis church of Mertzeroi Fraternity in Candia. He was active from 1651 to 1697. Not much is known about the artist aside from records and historical research dealing primarily with his signature. He signed his artwork in different ways either ΧΕΙΡ ΒΙΚΤΟΡΟΣ, ΧΕΙΡ ΒΙΚΤΩΡΟΣ and ΧΕΙΡ ΒΙΚΤΩΡΟΣ ΙΕΡΕΩΣ. He was extremely popular and many of his icons still exist. Victor painted an icon for Antonio Boubouli around 1653–1654. He was the priest at

San Giorgio dei Greci San Giorgio dei Greci ( el, Ἅγιος Γεώργιος τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ´Agios Geórgios ton Ellínon, Saint George of the Greeks) is a church in the ''sestiere'' (neighborhood) of Castello, Venice, northern Italy. It was the center of ...

in Venice. He painted the Virgin and Child (Kardiotissa). It is unclear if Victor traveled to Venice. Although they did order two paintings of ''The Morosini Banner''.

Konstantinos Tzanes Konstantinos Tzanes ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Τζάνες, 1633 – 1685; also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Konstantinos Tzane-Bounialis, Konstantinos Zane, or Konstantinos Tzane) was a Greek Renaissance painter. He ...

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 ...

and

Philotheos Skoufos Philotheos Skoufos el, Φιλόθεος Σκούφος also known as Filotheos Skoufos. Philotheos was a Greek painter, educator and clergyman during the 17th century. He collaborated with Emmanuel Tzanes on several pieces while he was in Corfu ...

. Were three Greek painters that migrated to Venice around the same period. Towards the end of his life, Victor traveled to the Peloponnese. The evidence is in the frescos at the Monastery of the Philosopher at

Dimitsana Dimitsana ( el, Δημητσάνα) is a mountain village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The ...

. In the same church, they have a large assortment of portable icons with his signature. He had a special relationship with

Saint Catherine's Monastery Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...

or the Sacred Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai Egypt. There are a large number of icons attributed to this artist. His workshop was extremely popular. He specialized in portable icons. His work has a large degree of sophistication. His art does not fall in line with the traditional

which resembles

Theophanes the Greek Theophanes the Greek (sometimes "Feofan Grek" from the russian: Феофан Грек, Greek language, Greek: Θεοφάνης; c. 1340 – c. 1410) was a Greeks, Byzantine Greek artist and one of the greatest icon painters of Grand Duchy of M ...

, Manuel Panselinos, and

Ioannis Pagomenos Ioannis Pagomenos ( el, Ιωάννης Παγωμένος, c.1285–after 1340) was a Greek painter in the Byzantine style active in Venetian-ruled Crete. He created fresco cycles for rural Orthodox churches under commission from ordinary members ...

. His work mostly resembles the

of the 16th century. The school by this time was heavily influenced by the Venetian school.

closely resembles some of Victor's work. Victor's Saint Catherine bears a resemblance to

's Saint Catherine. Another similar painting between the two artists is ''The Stoning of Saint Steven''. He was active in

Zakynthos Zakynthos (also spelled Zakinthos; el, Ζάκυνθος, Zákynthos ; it, Zacinto ) or Zante (, , ; el, Τζάντε, Tzánte ; from the Venetian form) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. Za ...

towards the end of his life.

Gallery

File:Victor The Man of Sorrows.png, The Man of Sorrows File:Victor The Martyrdom of the Ten Saints.png, The Martyrdom of the Ten Saints File:Victor Morisini Banner.png, Morisini Banner File:Victor Resurrection.png, Resurrection File:Victor Saint Catherine.png, Saint Catherine

Notable works

* The Stoning of St Stephen ''Byzantine Museum Athens Greece'' * The Man of Sorrows (curtain of sanctuary gate) ''Museum Zakynthos Greece'' * The Holy Trinity ''Museo Civico Correr Venice Italy'' * Madre della Consolazione ''Agioi Theodoroi church Kerkyra Greece'' * Christ the Vine ''Hellenic Institute, Venice, Italy'' *

Nativity of Christ The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Luke and Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, his mother Mary was engaged to a man na ...

''National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia''

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Victor (Iconographer) 1697 deaths People from Heraklion 17th-century Greek painters Cretan Renaissance painters 1630 births