Mary & Child Reverse Icon

Rare Reverse-Painted Icon

by Aurel,  2013 Brancoveanu Monastery, Sambatta, Fagaras Mountains, Romania

The art of glass-painted icons originated ion the C17th and has been practised in homes and religious sites since then, before all but dying out in the C20th.  The craft is technically challenging as the back of the glass is painted to protect the painting, often displayed outdoors.  The detail is painted first, then the foreground, then background, then a gold leaf backing.

A museum in the tiny village of Sibiel, Transylvania houses the largest collection of these priceless icons.  Nowadays this art is only maintained by a handful of artists including one monk at the Sambatta monastery, who teaches and paints superlative-quality icons.

We brought back three, superb pieces.