Oliver Samsinger

Virgin of Kataphyge and St. John, after a Byzantine Bulgarian Icon 14th Century

Virgin of Tijvin, after a Russian icon of the 17th century. Egg tempera, gold leaf on gesso over a wooden board. Measurements in centimeters: 44 x 33 x 3 cm / In inches: 17.32 x 12.99 x 1.18 " Author: Oliver Samsinger...

Icon of THE KORSUN VIRGIN (KORSUNSKAYA), egg tempera, and gold leave on gesso, over a piece of wood. Dimensions: (H) 26.5 x (W) 23.5 x (D) 3 cm. Also called The Holy Virgin of Tenderness, represents the Mother of God and infant Christ in a tender cheek-to-cheek embrace. The Virgin's hands tenderly surround the head and hands of the Child Jesus while he takes the cloak of the Mother of God with his left hand and plays with the fingers of his right hand, between his mother's neck and his own. Two very old icons, from the 12th and 13th Centuries, painted on the same theme, are respectively in the Uspenskii Cathedral in Moscow and in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. This is how the artist sums up the technique used by him to create the icon: “The aim of these steps is to create a durable painting. The icon is eternal. The first step is to choose a support, traditionally made of wood, from the center of the trunk to avoid warping it. For this purpose, two hardwood bolts were often used on the back to give the picture panel additional stability. Often a frame is milled out. Then the image carrier is sanded smooth and now 12 or 14 thin layers of gesso are applied and sanded smooth as well. Then the preliminary drawing is applied and the drawing board is prepared with a special preparation called bolus. This bolus can be polished to a high gloss. Afterward, the gold leaf is "shot" with special brushes. It dries up within a few hours and can now be polished with agate. Gold leaf is real 24-carat gold. Now, the actual process of painting begins. Egg tempera is made fresh from egg yolk, water and a little vinegar. This is used to prepare the color pigments. Tempera painting is done in numerous layers from dark to light. When the icon is finished, it is left to dry for a few months and varnished with a special varnish called Olifa made from boiled linseed oil and other ingredients”. ABOUT THE ARTIST Oliver Samsinger...

Icon of Our Lady of Jerusalem. Egg tempera on gesso and over a wooden board. Dimensions in centimeters: 42 x 34 x 2 cm / In inches: 16.54 x 13-39 x 0-79 " Author: Oliver Samsinger...

Panagia Paramythia (Mother of Consolation) Artist: Oliver Samsinger. Technique: Egg tempera on gesso and wood, with 24‑karat gold leaf. Dimensions: 37 × 31 × 2.5 cm. Description of...

Beautiful Russian icon of the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, painted and gilded during the 19th century. Rich in spiritual significance and devotional character, this icon represents one of the most beloved subjects of Eastern Orthodox religious art. The composition depicts the Virgin Mary (Theotokos) tenderly holding the infant Jesus in her arms, emphasizing her role as the Mother of God and intercessor for humanity. The serene expressions, solemn gaze, and sacred intimacy between mother and child reflect the profound symbolism and theological depth characteristic of Russian iconography. Executed in oil and enhanced with gilded decoration, the icon displays the traditional artistic conventions of Orthodox painting, including stylized features, symbolic colors, and a luminous golden background that evokes the divine realm. The gilding beautifully complements the painted surface, creating a rich visual effect and enhancing the devotional presence of the work. Produced during the 19th century, a period of continued flourishing of icon painting in the Russian Empire, this piece would have served as an object of private devotion or as part of a domestic icon corner, a central element of Orthodox spiritual life. Its intimate dimensions make it ideal for display in a collection of religious art, iconography, devotional objects, or Eastern European antiques...

Russia / 19th century / Icon The Virgin of Tenderness or Eleousa / wood / Religious This poignant 19th-century Russian icon depicts The Virgin of Tenderness, also known as Eleousa, ...

Russian Orthodox icon depicting the Kazan Mother of God (Kazanskaya Bogomater), dating from the early 19th century. The central composition presents the Virgin Mary in half-length w...

Beautiful Russian icon of Our Lady of the Sign, known in the Orthodox tradition as "Znameniye", painted on a wooden panel during the 18th or 19th century. This revered iconographic t...