St. Paul

12 x 5 in     31 x 13.5cm
Egg Tempera on Wood Panel
14th century
Holy Monastery of St. Catherine

Not all ikons have gold backgrounds.  This green color was common both in Russia and Byzantium.  There is a stylistic relationship between this ikon the mosaic of the Kariye Djami in Istanbul and it has been assigned various date throughout the 14th Century.

The ikon of St. Paul comes from the back of a Hexaptych with scenes of the twelve feasts.

Photo Credit: Holy Monastery of St. Catherine - Sinai