Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
St. Demetrius of Salonica
(Byzantium and Early Russia)
Demetrius, a favorite "warrior saint" of both the eastern and western worlds and a fourth-century martyr under the emperor Maximian, is shown here killing the gladiator Lyaeos, who reportedly killed many Christians. According to tradition Demetrius himself, not actually a soldier but the son of a senatorial family, did not actually kill Lyaeos, but gave his blessing to a youth named Nestor who did. An angel descends at the top center with the crown of martyrdom, and at the right are the walls of the city of Salonica, or Thessaloniki, Demetrius' birthplace.
Demetrius is credited with numerous posthumous miracles, and at the left of this composition is an image of a miraculous event associated with his icon.
On the borders of the icon are the saints Mary Magdalene, Daria, Natalia, and Matrona, possibly the namesakes of the icon's original owners.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Lilian Halsey Barker (Mrs. Lewellys F. Barker), Baltimore [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, January 1961, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 1988-1989 | A Millennium of Christianity: Russian Art from The Walters Art Gallery. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 9/21/1965 | Examination | examined for exhibition |
Geographies
Russia (Place of Origin)
Measurements
12 5/8 x 10 7/8 in. (32.1 x 27.6 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Lilian Halsey Barker, 1961
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
37.2389