A CRETAN SCHOOL CROSS, CIRCLE OF EMMANUEL LOMBARDOS (OR LAMPARDOS, 1567-1631), LATE 16TH CENTURY
painted in tempera and gold on wood for the Levantine Melkite Christian market, centred by The Crucifixtion flanked by angels collecting the Blood of Christ, the Evangelists in the shaped terminals, each titled in Greek to top John, Mark, Luke and Matthew holding open their Gospels in Arabic script, all in a corded border, shaped foliate rim and ball terminals, 127.5 x 98.5cm Provenance: Nikki Constable-Maxwell (1920-2016) by whom bequeathed to the vendor. American born Militza (known as Nikki) Kerkes married Andrew Constable-Maxwell OBE MC (1906-1990) in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Vatican Basilica on 26 February 1949. Originally a London merchant banker, Andrew Constable-Maxwell moved to the Vaud canton near Geneva after the war. The couple were great collectors, amassing among other things the ‘Constable-Maxwell Collection of Ancient Glass: The Property of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Constable-Maxwell’, sold by Sotheby’s, London, 4/5 June 1979, which included a famously twice record-breaking diatretum (Roman lamp or cage cup). This imposing liturgical cross belongs to the late Cretan School, the dominant centre of Orthodox icon production in the eastern Mediterranean during the 16th century. The restrained treatment of the Crucifixion reflects the conservative Byzantine aesthetic (the maniera greca) cultivated in Venetian Candia (Crete), where workshops produced icons on a large scale for export throughout the Mediterranean world, peaking in the sixteenth century. The elongated figure of Christ, rendered with schematised musculature, almond-shaped eyes and the use of white highlights in the face, demonstrates close familiarity with the style of Emmanuel Lombardos (also found as Lambardos or Lampardos), one of the leading painters of the late Cretan School. While not necessarily attributable to the master himself, the present work certainly aligns with his practice. The absence of Baroque anatomical exaggeration or theatrical agony supports a date in the final decades of the 16th century, prior to the increasing Western influence visible in Cretan painting of the early 17th century. Cretan icons circulated widely across the eastern Mediterranean, including the Levant, where they were readily adopted by Arabic-speaking Orthodox communities, known as Melkite Christians. In some cases painters themselves travelled east: Ieremias Palladas, a Cretan monk and icon painter associated with Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, is documented as producing works for Sinai, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and a church in Bethlehem. Large crosses of this scale were intended for prominent ecclesiastical settings, most likely as altar crosses within a major Orthodox church or monastic foundation.painted in tempera and gold on wood for the Levantine Melkite Christian market, centred by The Crucifixtion flanked by angels collecting the Blood of Christ, the Evangelists in the shaped terminals, each titled in Greek to top John, Mark, Luke and Matthew holding open their Gospels in Arabic script, all in a corded border, shaped foliate rim and ball terminals, 127.5 x 98.5cm Provenance: Nikki Constable-Maxwell (1920-2016) by whom bequeathed to the vendor. American born Militza (known as Nikki) Kerkes married Andrew Constable-Maxwell OBE MC (1906-1990) in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Vatican Basilica on 26 February 1949. Originally a London merchant banker, Andrew Constable-Maxwell moved to the Vaud canton near Geneva after the war. The couple were great collectors, amassing among other things the ‘Constable-Maxwell Collection of Ancient Glass: The Property of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Constable-Maxwell’, sold by Sotheby’s, London, 4/5 June 1979, which included a famously twice record-breaking diatretum (Roman lamp or cage cup). This imposing liturgical cross belongs to the late Cretan School, the dominant centre of Orthodox icon production in the eastern Mediterranean during the 16th century. The restrained treatment of the Crucifixion reflects the conservative Byzantine aesthetic (the maniera greca) cultivated in Venetian Candia (Crete), where workshops produced icons on a large scale for export throughout the Mediterranean world, peaking in the sixteenth century. The elongated figure of Christ, rendered with schematised musculature, almond-shaped eyes and the use of white highlights in the face, demonstrates close familiarity with the style of Emmanuel Lombardos (also found as Lambardos or Lampardos), one of the leading painters of the late Cretan School. While not necessarily attributable to the master himself, the present work certainly aligns with his practice. The absence of Baroque anatomical exaggeration or theatrical agony supports a date in the final decades of the 16th century, prior to the increasing Western influence visible in Cretan painting of the early 17th century. Cretan icons circulated widely across the eastern Mediterranean, including the Levant, where they were readily adopted by Arabic-speaking Orthodox communities, known as Melkite Christians. In some cases painters themselves travelled east: Ieremias Palladas, a Cretan monk and icon painter associated with Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, is documented as producing works for Sinai, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and a church in Bethlehem. Large crosses of this scale were intended for prominent ecclesiastical settings, most likely as altar crosses within a major Orthodox church or monastic foundation.
Apparently some minor retouching to figures. Gilt ground with cracking largely following the grain of the wood - difficult to assess quantity of retouching to gilding; it does not flouresce under UV, but apparently some restoration to ground, particularly to right of Christ figure and around the edges of the cording. Fleck of paint loss to chest of Christ, Luke with tiny flecks of paint loss at sleeve and gospel. Matthew with crack in the wood running through his chest, two areas of stucco loss to gilt cording on end of left cross arm and top of right cross arm, chips to top ball and two chips to edge of right arm. Condition Report: we are pleased to provide you with general guidance on the condition of property. Olympia Auctions is not entering into a contract with you in respect of the Condition Report and accordingly does not assume responsibility to you in respect of it. The Condition Report represents Olympia Auctions’ reasonable opinion as to the Lot’s general condition in the terms stated in the particular report, and Olympia Auctions does not represent or guarantee that a Condition Report includes all aspects of the internal or external condition of the Lot. Any images provided of the Lot may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the Lot nor its true colour or shade. The responsibility for ascertaining the condition of the Lot remains with the purchaser and prospective buyers should inspect each Lot to satisfy themselves as to condition. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS.
painted in tempera and gold on wood for the Levantine Melkite Christian market, centred by The Crucifixtion flanked by angels collecting the Blood of Christ, the Evangelists in the shaped terminals, each titled in Greek to top John, Mark, Luke and Matthew holding open their Gospels in Arabic script, all in a corded border, shaped foliate rim and ball terminals, 127.5 x 98.5cm Provenance: Nikki Constable-Maxwell (1920-2016) by whom bequeathed to the vendor. American born Militza (known as Nikki) Kerkes married Andrew Constable-Maxwell OBE MC (1906-1990) in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Vatican Basilica on 26 February 1949. Originally a London merchant banker, Andrew Constable-Maxwell moved to the Vaud canton near Geneva after the war. The couple were great collectors, amassing among other things the ‘Constable-Maxwell Collection of Ancient Glass: The Property of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Constable-Maxwell’, sold by Sotheby’s, London, 4/5 June 1979, which included a famously twice record-breaking diatretum (Roman lamp or cage cup). This imposing liturgical cross belongs to the late Cretan School, the dominant centre of Orthodox icon production in the eastern Mediterranean during the 16th century. The restrained treatment of the Crucifixion reflects the conservative Byzantine aesthetic (the maniera greca) cultivated in Venetian Candia (Crete), where workshops produced icons on a large scale for export throughout the Mediterranean world, peaking in the sixteenth century. The elongated figure of Christ, rendered with schematised musculature, almond-shaped eyes and the use of white highlights in the face, demonstrates close familiarity with the style of Emmanuel Lombardos (also found as Lambardos or Lampardos), one of the leading painters of the late Cretan School. While not necessarily attributable to the master himself, the present work certainly aligns with his practice. The absence of Baroque anatomical exaggeration or theatrical agony supports a date in the final decades of the 16th century, prior to the increasing Western influence visible in Cretan painting of the early 17th century. Cretan icons circulated widely across the eastern Mediterranean, including the Levant, where they were readily adopted by Arabic-speaking Orthodox communities, known as Melkite Christians. In some cases painters themselves travelled east: Ieremias Palladas, a Cretan monk and icon painter associated with Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, is documented as producing works for Sinai, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and a church in Bethlehem. Large crosses of this scale were intended for prominent ecclesiastical settings, most likely as altar crosses within a major Orthodox church or monastic foundation.painted in tempera and gold on wood for the Levantine Melkite Christian market, centred by The Crucifixtion flanked by angels collecting the Blood of Christ, the Evangelists in the shaped terminals, each titled in Greek to top John, Mark, Luke and Matthew holding open their Gospels in Arabic script, all in a corded border, shaped foliate rim and ball terminals, 127.5 x 98.5cm Provenance: Nikki Constable-Maxwell (1920-2016) by whom bequeathed to the vendor. American born Militza (known as Nikki) Kerkes married Andrew Constable-Maxwell OBE MC (1906-1990) in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Vatican Basilica on 26 February 1949. Originally a London merchant banker, Andrew Constable-Maxwell moved to the Vaud canton near Geneva after the war. The couple were great collectors, amassing among other things the ‘Constable-Maxwell Collection of Ancient Glass: The Property of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Constable-Maxwell’, sold by Sotheby’s, London, 4/5 June 1979, which included a famously twice record-breaking diatretum (Roman lamp or cage cup). This imposing liturgical cross belongs to the late Cretan School, the dominant centre of Orthodox icon production in the eastern Mediterranean during the 16th century. The restrained treatment of the Crucifixion reflects the conservative Byzantine aesthetic (the maniera greca) cultivated in Venetian Candia (Crete), where workshops produced icons on a large scale for export throughout the Mediterranean world, peaking in the sixteenth century. The elongated figure of Christ, rendered with schematised musculature, almond-shaped eyes and the use of white highlights in the face, demonstrates close familiarity with the style of Emmanuel Lombardos (also found as Lambardos or Lampardos), one of the leading painters of the late Cretan School. While not necessarily attributable to the master himself, the present work certainly aligns with his practice. The absence of Baroque anatomical exaggeration or theatrical agony supports a date in the final decades of the 16th century, prior to the increasing Western influence visible in Cretan painting of the early 17th century. Cretan icons circulated widely across the eastern Mediterranean, including the Levant, where they were readily adopted by Arabic-speaking Orthodox communities, known as Melkite Christians. In some cases painters themselves travelled east: Ieremias Palladas, a Cretan monk and icon painter associated with Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, is documented as producing works for Sinai, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and a church in Bethlehem. Large crosses of this scale were intended for prominent ecclesiastical settings, most likely as altar crosses within a major Orthodox church or monastic foundation.
Apparently some minor retouching to figures. Gilt ground with cracking largely following the grain of the wood - difficult to assess quantity of retouching to gilding; it does not flouresce under UV, but apparently some restoration to ground, particularly to right of Christ figure and around the edges of the cording. Fleck of paint loss to chest of Christ, Luke with tiny flecks of paint loss at sleeve and gospel. Matthew with crack in the wood running through his chest, two areas of stucco loss to gilt cording on end of left cross arm and top of right cross arm, chips to top ball and two chips to edge of right arm. Condition Report: we are pleased to provide you with general guidance on the condition of property. Olympia Auctions is not entering into a contract with you in respect of the Condition Report and accordingly does not assume responsibility to you in respect of it. The Condition Report represents Olympia Auctions’ reasonable opinion as to the Lot’s general condition in the terms stated in the particular report, and Olympia Auctions does not represent or guarantee that a Condition Report includes all aspects of the internal or external condition of the Lot. Any images provided of the Lot may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the Lot nor its true colour or shade. The responsibility for ascertaining the condition of the Lot remains with the purchaser and prospective buyers should inspect each Lot to satisfy themselves as to condition. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS.
