Representation of a female or androgynous Gabriel, Archangel Gabriel Flying

Found at www.lyndamillerbaker.com

Archangel Gabriel flying

by Lynda Miller Baker

This Icon is egg tempera and gold leaf on antique wood panel measuring 45cm x 30cm approx

It is detail of the Annunciation based on an early 14c Byzantine icon in the Ohrid Icon Gallery, Yugoslavia

12th Century Georgian Mosaic

Georgian 12th Century Mosaic

found at: www.sacredsites.com

Virgin and Child / Archangel Gabriel Mosaic

Gelati

image of gabriel found at: kutaisidotorg.tripod.com

Interior of the church of Gelati, Kutaisi

Situated on a wooded hill 11 kilometers northeast of Kutaisi, the beautiful monastery and academy of Gelati was founded by King David the Builder in 1106. The academy, the original building of which is still standing, drew scholars from throughout eastern Europe and was a great center of neo-Platonist metaphysical philosophy between the 12^th and 15^th centuries. The Cathedral of the Virgin, completed in 1125 received additions in the 13^th and 14^th centuries. The interior of the church is filled with light coming from the large windows and many colorful frescos grace the walls. The pride of the church and one of Georgia's greatest works of art is an extraordinary mosaic composed of 2.5 million pieces of stone. Created in the 1130's, it features the Virgin and Child with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Outside the church, to the southwest, is a sacred spring that is known to have been a pagan holy place before the arrival of Christianity. Gelati was ravaged by the Ottoman Turks in 1510 and further damaged by the Lezghians in 1579 but King Bagrat III subsequently restored the church and monastery. Russia annexed Georgia in 1801 and while Gelati lost all royal patronage from this time forward, pilgrims continued to visit the sacred place. In 1922 the Communists closed the monastery and pilgrimages were forbidden. The church was reconsecrated in 1988 and has again become a favorite place of pilgrimage for Georgian persons.

11th century church at pagan holy place, monastery of Gelati, Kutaisi

The Angel Gabrial Iconostas in Antiochan Cathedral

More info at: www.saintelias.com

Two wonderful pictures of Orthodox Iconastas from an Antiochan Cathedral in Brampton Ontario, Canada

The Angel Gabriel

Angel Gabriel Iconastas

Angel Michael Iconastas

The Angel Gabrial Descent of Holy Spirit Iconostas

Found at : www.dhsparish.com

Two wonderful pictures of Orthodox Iconastas from The Descent of The Holy Spirit Church in Deerfield

The Angel Gabriel

Angel Gabriel Iconastas

Angel Michael Iconastas

Annunciation on Royal Doors

Annunciation on Royal Doors (one panel)

Icon Gallery, Ohrid

From the church of St. Nicholas Hospitaller, Ohrid.
14th-15th century

111 x 36 cm.

Found at: www.soros.org.mk

Tempera. Plaster ground on board

Today - Icon Gallery, Ohrid.

Condition: Relatively well preserved. Damage due to flaking of plaster ground in the lower part.

Iconography: Archangel Gabriel is shown in full length, facing half left. He gives a blessing with his right hand and in his left holds a rod. He is dressed in red hiton and purple himation.

The upper part of the doors – King Solomon shown in half-length, dressed in green divineation and purple mantle. In his right hand he holds an unfurled scroll inscribed with text of a prophecy. The background, gold.

Annunciation on Royal Doors, Ohrid, Macedonia

Annunciation on Royal Doors

Icon Gallery, Ohrid

Found at: www.soros.org.mk

15^th century doors originally from the church in Botun, Ohrid. Today the doors are in Icon Gallery, Ohrid.

Iconography: The panels, decorated with turned wooden pawn-shaped knobs along the top, show respectively the Mother of God, standing on a low pedestal, and the Archangel Gabriel, landing on an elliptical cushion. Both in full length.

Behind the Mother of God there is a richly decorated throne with a back, an exceptional rendering of a throne made in turned wood, and architecture with very steep stairs. The Mother of God is dressed in a chiton and a maphorion boarded with a gold band and her right hand, raised in a gesture of surprise holding a purple thread; in her left hand a clew.

The Archangel Gabriel, turned towards her, gives a blessing with his right hand and holds a rod in his left. He is dressed in a chiton and a himation falling in folds down his back. Requisite architecture in the background.

The White Angel (believed to be Gabriel)

The White Angel (believed to be Gabriel)

found at: http://www.byzantinesacredart.com/white-angel.html

Orthodox Iconography consists of portable/panel icons, frescoes (wall paintings on fresh plaster) and Orthodox mosaics. Some of the greatest, priceless treasures of Byzantine Iconography are adorning the walls of Eastern Orthodox churches in the form of frescoes and mosaics. Among those, Serbian early and medieval fresco painting takes a prominent place.

Built of stone, thousand years old Serbian churches carry some of the most majestic iconographic masterpieces that have, by some art historians, surpassed later Italian Renaissance frescoes in beauty and skill with which they were executed.

White Angel, painted in 1230 at the Mileseva Monastery, Serbia.

Archangel (believed to be Gabriel) at the entrance of Christ's empty tomb, announcing His resurrection to the myrrh-bearing women. Detail from the Resurrection fresco, Mileseva Monastery, Serbia

Famous Greek Icon Master Photios Kontoglou about Serbian frescoes

"... As far as technical execution is concerned, the wall paintings of Serbia disclose their creators as marvelous masters of the difficult art of wall painting, which in Italian is called fresco, because the artist paints on fresh plaster, put on at the time he is painting, when it is moist and thus retains the paint better. In such painting it is necessary that the painter have complete mastery of his work; he must be able to paint quickly, without hesitation and without making corrections, otherwise the plaster becomes dry, the wall does not absorb the paint, and it flakes off. Then it is necessary to scrape off the plaster, replaster the wall, and start painting again from the beginning. Now in this work the iconographers of Serbia were great masters, so much so that those who have some conception of the art of fresco painting are astonished. They surpassed many of the Italians who, more than others, worked at frescoes .."

Byzantine Sacred Art

found at: white-angel.html

Other links to Milaseva:

Mileseva - The White Angel (detail)

Mileseva - The White Angel

Mileseva Monastery photo - Alan Grant photos at pbase.com

FUND BLAGO CONTINUES TO FINANCE RESTORATION OF MILESEVA MONASTERY FRESCOES: NEXT, NEMANYICS PROCESSION