Byzantine icon of St Matrona of Moscow Antique style ikona painting of the russian orthodox saint, original painted by hand

The Blessed Matruska, St Matrona of Moscow and -as St John of Kronstard had said- the eight pillar of Russia, painted by hand here with eggtempera

I used a repurposed piece of wood , unevenly gessoed- I added copper gold and an antique patina in the (unusual for eggtempera( rough surface. St matrona through all of her obstacles -blind from birth, paralysed,hunted down- shone forth the light of God so I though an "imperfect surface" to make her perfection shine brighter

The name of the Saint -- I Agia Matrona tis Moshas-- was written with brown egg tempera on the top of the icon with medieval Greek characters.Shellac was added and finally two layers of varnish in order to seal the colours and produce an icon that will last.

Additionally the icon comes tenderly protected in its individual bag, together with its instructions how to care for it, a little sachet of herbs from our garden in Crete -and our custom icon favors - Ready to be given as a gift