Icon With St George And The Youth Of Mytilene At The British Museum In London England Editorial Photo

Icon painted in egg tempera on gesso over linen on a pine panel. The background gesso is worked in relief, originally silvered. On the reverse is a patriarchal cross painted in red. The icon represents a young beardless saint on horseback. He is identified by an abraded, but just readable, Greek inscription in red letters which identifies him as St George. He is shown on a white horse with a red harness. He is not alone on the horse but sitting behind him is a much smaller figure holding a glass of red wine. St George wears a diadem and a red cloak flies out from his shoulders. He wears a ribbed cuirass over a blue tunic, and red hose. He carries a red lance. The small figure wears a pale blue tunic and black hose. Below the white horse is a mountainous landscape and the sea. The rest of the background and the saint’s halo are of gesso modelled into a three dimensional scroll pattern on which there are traces of silver.