Tuesday, April 14, 2009

A story about an icon...

When you get old enough to see your work take on a life of its own.
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I painted the Baptism of Christ (shown above) around 1989-'90. It was my first "hollowed" out panel, although I always regretted I painted curved corners. An art and antiques dealer purchased it from me. He died about 10 years ago. A year or so after his death I found the panel in an antique shop, the dealer, with whom I had been acquainted told me he bought it at a fine arts auction. I told him it wasn't really old, that Larry had purchased it from me for his icon collection, and that I had painted it - explaining that icons are never signed.
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I wonder what will happen to my work after I am dead?
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6 comments:

David said...

Ok I have to have a copy of this one too. Terry your art is killing me (in the good way)...I could decorate my chapel with only your things!

Terry Nelson said...

David thanks very much, your opinion means a lot to me.

owenswain said...

Beautiful and the story is too. Why you question your ability is beyond me.

And I should drop ideas of making icons of my own because I am too vain to not sign my work.

Terry Nelson said...

Thanks again. I actually always signed the back of the panel in pencil, with the date and place of origin, and a prayer. In this case, I had papered over the back of the panel with Florentine paper - hiding the inscriptions - but they are there.

p.lykogiannis said...

TERRY GONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR WORK. THE STYLIT SAINT THAT I SAW AND THIS ONE HAVE BEEN PAINTED WITH THE EASTERN-BYZANTINE STYLE AND ITS A NICE TRY.ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU THAT RARELY THE PAINTERS SHOW CHRIST TOTALLY NAKED IN THE SCENE OF HIS BAPTISM.WE HAVE ONLY A FEW ICONS MAINLY FROM THE EARLY BYZANTINE PERIOD AND THEY DONT LETS SAY HIGHLIGT THE GENITALS.IF YOU WANT I CAN SEND YOU IN AN E MAIL A PHOTO TO SEE WHAT I MEAN.ALSO ABOUT THE INSCRIPTIONS YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY MY FRIEND.ONLY IN THE FIRST CHRISTIAN YEARS THE ARTISTS DIDNT CARE TO PUT THEIR SIGNATURE BECAUSE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THEM THEIR WORKS WERE A PRAY AND NOT AN ART OBJECT ONLY.SORTLY THEY START,ESPECIALLY FROM THE MIDDLE AGES AND AFTER,TO SIGN THEIR WORK,LUCKY FOR US WHO STUDY THE ART.ONCE AGAIN BRAVO FOR YOUR BLOG AND YOUR WORK.YOU WILL FIND MY INTERNET ADDRESS IF YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME IN plykogiannis.blogspot.com

Terry Nelson said...

Thank you Father for your advice - I would like to exchange emails - I will try to write soon. In the meantime I linked to you.