0620 The Doubting of Thomas

Cypriot.
17th/early 18 cent. 59x32x2.5 cms.

Centrally stands Christ normally on a plinth but, in this case, on a carpet to emphasise He is no longer of this world.  A further sign of the ethereal nature of the occasion is that the doors behind Christ are closed. He appeared. He did not enter.

The vent is recorded in John 20:2-29. Its purpose id to prove to the world the truth of the Resurrection.

Thomas was not present when Christ first appeared to His disciples. on Easter Sunday. He vowed he could never believe in Christ’s resurrection unless he, himself could touch the wounds Christ had suffered on The Cross. Christ’s response  was to appear a week later to give Thomas the proof he needed.

The icon shows the events. Chris removes His clothes from His right shoulder to allow Thomas to examine his body. Nervously, Thomas does so touching the wound on Christ’s side and affirming his belief with the declaration “My Lord and my God”. The event is watched by the ten other disciples of which the most prominent are Peter, his hands raised in prayer, and Andrew standing immediately behind Thomas.

The icon is written on a single board cut from the Mediterranean  elm. The scars of the iron nail marks [in-filled during the restoration] where they have been hammered through the frame of the iconostasis in the Ionian fashion. .

The icon was purchased on the American art market. It  has been cleaned and tiny areas of paint loss applied. Overall, there has been minimal.