M. Palumbo (XX) - Icona Sacra Santa Rita da Cascia

Sacred icon realized according to the ancient Byzantine technique – Monte Sant’Angelo – Blessed in the Celestial Cave Description This precious icon is an original work created by an iconographer from Monte Sant’Angelo, a place deeply linked to the Michaeli tradition and the spirituality of the Gargano. The author obtained the iconographer’s certificate at the Abbey of Santa Maria di Pulsano, where he had the opportunity to learn and deepen the ancient technique of Byzantine painting, handed down through monastic tradition. The work thus arises not only from artistic research but from a formation path tied to the spiritual tradition of Christian iconography. The technique used follows the principles of traditional iconography, in which the creation of the image takes on a profoundly spiritual meaning: the iconographer does not simply depict a sacred subject, but seeks to render visible, through forms, colors, and symbols, a reality that belongs to the dimension of the divine. A particularly significant element of the icon’s history is its blessing in the Celestial Cave of Monte Sant’Angelo. According to local devotional tradition, this place is considered unique in the world because its consecration is attributed directly to Saint Michael the Archangel and, in tradition, to an origin not attributable to a consecration performed by human hands. The icon therefore carries with it the spiritual value of this extraordinary place. The icon as a “window onto the divine” In Eastern Christian tradition, and more generally in Catholic spirituality linked to the veneration of sacred images, the icon is not conceived merely as a painting intended to adorn an environment. It is considered a “window onto the divine”: through the image, the believer is invited to turn their gaze beyond material reality and contemplate the mystery represented. The icon is not an object of worship in itself. In Catholic doctrine, worship belongs exclusively to God, while sacred images are objects of veneration and provide aid to prayer and contemplation. The honor shown to the image is directed to the person depicted. Symbolism of the work The female figure, wrapped in a dark veil and white mantle, is depicted with a golden halo, a traditional element that recalls holiness and participation in divine light. The gold of the halo and of the frame evokes divine light, eternity, and the Kingdom of God. It does not simply represent a natural light source, but a spiritual reality that transcends the material world. The red present in the background and in the rose is traditionally associated with charity, love, royalty, and sacrifice. It is a color particularly intense in Christian symbolism. The white of the veil recalls purity, light, innocence, and resurrection. The black of the mantle can evoke ascetic life, detachment from the world, and the contemplative and penitential dimension inherent in religious life. The red rose, a central element of the composition, can be read symbolically as an image of love, charity, and sacrifice, as well as a reminder of the spiritual beauty that arises from suffering and dedication to God. The serene face and the direct gaze invite contemplation and prayer, in keeping with the language typical of sacred iconography, where the representation does not seek mere realism but a spiritual and transcendent dimension. The whole set of colors and symbols thus builds an image in which matter and spirituality meet: wood, pigments, and gold belong to the earthly dimension, while the light of the halo and the symbolic language of the image point to the heavenly reality. An artwork with a history and spiritual origin This icon represents not only an artistic work but the synthesis of art, monastic tradition, devotion, and the culture of Monte Sant’Angelo’s territory. The author’s training at Pulsano Abbey, the creation according to the ancient Byzantine painting tradition, and the subsequent blessing in the Celestial Cave give the work a special history, making it suitable for both a sacred art collection and a context of prayer and contemplation. An artwork intended not merely to be observed, but to be contemplated.

Estimate:£0.84

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