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Hand-Painted Icons
- Special Price $1,297.50 Regular Price $1,730.00
- Special Price $2,317.50 Regular Price $3,090.00
- Special Price $1,297.50 Regular Price $1,730.00
- Special Price $1,297.50 Regular Price $1,730.00
- Special Price $3,412.50 Regular Price $4,550.00
Regarding Iconography...
A painted icon is a prayer made visible. It is an insight into a different world, which is unique and invisible, revealed by the hand of an icon painter who uses colors, lines, and symbols. The icon is not a portrait; a portrait depicts merely the person's earthly appearance, while the icon depicts his internal state as well, his holiness and proximity to Heaven. Our iconographers focus their attention on the depiction of the inner condition of the soul hidden by the flesh.
Painting an icon normally takes one and a half months or even more, depending on its artistic complexity. Each stage of the process is essential for the final result and cannot be omitted or shortened without compromising quality. Parents often pass painted icons on to their children, from one generation to the next, which makes painted icons a family heirloom, a timeless connection. This is why they should be painted as carefully as possible and without haste.
Icon painting process at St Elisabeth Convent
The icon painting studio of St Elisabeth Convent uses traditional techniques of icon painting. A wooden board for an icon is carefully selected and is left to dry under natural conditions. It is then covered with ten to fifteen layers of gesso - a special chalk-based coat. A gessoed and thoroughly polished board must be absolutely smooth.
Preparation of the gesso and gessoing the board is not an easy task. In fact, it requires attention and skill, for it will become the base for the future icon. The lifespan of a painted icon depends on the proper base. That is why we at St Elisabeth Convent have a separate gessoing workshop, which makes gessoed wooden boards for icons.
Once the base of an icon is ready, a draft image is painted on it with extreme caution. Following this stage, the icon is plated with fine gold leaf. Gold-plating is a critical and demanding process. Even a tiny dust particle or a hair stuck under a gold leaf may completely ruin it. Excess gold leaf is removed after drying, and an icon painter starts to paint the icon, going steadily from darker colors to the lighter ones.
Why you should purchase our hand-painted icon?
Browse our rich collection of hand-painted Orthodox icons, created by the master iconographers of St Elisabeth Convent. All our icons are written with prayer and sanctified upon completion. Our master iconographers paint icons using two ancient and traditional techniques:
- Hand-painted egg tempera icons. Egg tempera paints are the traditional, centuries-old medium used for writing (painting) sacred Orthodox Christian images.
- Orthodox icons painted with acrylic paints or oil paints, decorated with pearls, plaques, and framed stones.
What icons we offer?
You can order and buy a beautiful hand-painted icon of Jesus Christ, Theotokos icon, any Orthodox saint, angel icon or a feast icon in the Catalogue of St Elisabeth Convent. We also offer family icons, church icons, wedding icons, namesake icons, measure icons, and much more!
How to care for a painted icon?
Painted icons are highly sensitive to rapid temperature fluctuations, draughts, and excessive or insufficient moisture.
They are not to be placed near heating units. Please do not wipe icons with dry or wet cloth, and do not polish them with oil, as it will damage the paint. The best solution is to place your icon into an icon case, which will protect it from dust and adverse impact of external factors. You should also consider putting an icon into an icon case as a way to protect it from mechanical damage made by public veneration.
How to order a hand-painted icon?
You can order any icon from our icon painting studio, either by giving us your own reference image, or by choosing an icon from our archives, some of which are presented in this catalogue.
Please note that the final prices of the hand-painted icons in our catalogue may differ from the quoted ones, depending on your location and method of delivery. We will contact you after you place an order to confirm your order and specifying its final cost.
Please place your custom order for a hand-painted icon by reaching us at [email protected] or via a custom order form.
Learn more about the process of icon creation in the Icon Painting Studio of St. Elisabeth Convent
