Icon of 'St Paraskeve', Greek School (Crete), Sixteenth Century with later renovation

Tempera painting

Given by Sir Charles Marling

Given by Sir Charles Marling, 1928
This icon was given to the V&A by the Trustees of the Estate of Lady Lucia Marling in 1928. Sir Charles Marling donated a large number of objects to the V&A in memory of his late wife including three icons (W.64-1928, W.65-1938, and W.68-1928). Charles Marling was a diplomat who had lived in Athens during the 1890s and assembled a large collection of textiles and ceramics during his time in Greece and later in the Middle East, but who had also acquired other works of art.

Historical significance: This small icon is very unusual and seems to have been made originally as a representation of a male evangelist or martyr. The body type is too large to have originally been a woman, and the black head covering is clearly a later addition with parts of the red cape visible under the dark paint. The face of the figure is also of lesser quality than the painting of the body and lacks the technical expertise of the original figure. The icon is inscribed in worn white letters top left with the name Paraskeve, but this inscription seems to be an addition as well. The overall condition of the icon is poor, strengthening the opinion that it has been renovated, and the surface is heavily rubbed, with much of the red bole, which would have been applied under the top layer of gold, showing through. The original figure appears more Italianate in design and may have been a Veneto-Cretan figure from a Catholic Church which was later remodelled by an Orthodox community. The feast day for Saint Paraskeve is 14 October.

W.65-1928