Unknown iconographer
Saint John with his adoptive brother Cosmas
I have no further description, at this time
Anonymous Catalonian illustrator
Muslim conquest of the Levant, (c. 1310–1325)
Battle of Yarmouk by an anonymous Catalonian illustrator
National Library, Spain
Illustration of the Battle of Yarmouk (636). The Saracens are shown with a star and crescent banner, the Byzantines (anachronistically in Crusader era armour) with a star banner. More on this work
The city of Damascus in Syria fell to the Muslims in 635. At the time of the Caliph Abdul-Malik, responsibility for government of the Christian population was given to Sergius Mansur, a prominent Christian of the city. Sergius strove to govern in a godly way under the many disabilities imposed by the Caliph, and devoted his wealth to almsgiving and to ransoming Christian prisoners. His son John was born in 675, and along with his adoptive brother Cosmas was brought up Christian.
John, whose exceptional education included a perfect knowledge of both Greek and Arabic, entered the civil administration and eventually succeeded to his father's position under the Caliph.
Unknown iconographer
Son of Mansur, Saint John the SilentIcon
I have no further description, at this time
This icon of John of Damascus holding an icon of Christ tells a bit of the saint’s story; he defended iconography against heresies.
Atanas Atanasov
Emperor Leo III the IsaurianAtanas Atanasov is an accomplished artist whose inner poetics penetrates deeply into the very soul of nature and by revealing its strength and splendour creates a spiritual domain. At a time when temptations have almost replaced true ordeals, Atanas Atanasov has succeeded in preserving and developing the virtues of an absorbing and beautiful style of painting born through experience that combines in a natural way the genuine tradition with the truth in the artist's heart.
Atanas Atanasovwas born in Bourgas in 1964. In 1991 he graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia in the painting course of professor Svetlin Russev. He is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists from 1997. He is working in the sphere of the art of painting mural painting and the illustration.Prof.Svetlin Roussev
Unknown artist
The Byzantine Iconoclasm of Leo III the IsaurianEtching
58.6 x 53 cm | 23.1 x 20.9 inches
When the Byzantine Emperor Leo III "the Isaurian" began to attack the holy icons, Saint John undertook a spirited defense of the Faith through letters to correspondents throughout the Empire. Normally the Emperor would have killed or exiled the Saint directly, but since he lived in Muslim lands the Emperor could not touch him. So the Emperor circulated a forged letter which made it appear that John was plotting against the Caliph.
Unknown iconographer
Saint John the Silent with the three Hands, before the icon of the Mother of God
I have no further description, at this time
When this letter fell (as planned) into the Caliph's hands, he was furious, and ordered that the Saint's right hand be cut off. That evening John placed his severed hand before the icon of the Mother of God and prayed with tears that it might be restored.
On awaking he found that his hand had been miraculously restored to him. The miracle convinced the Caliph of his counselor's innocence, and John was restored to favor; but now John wanted nothing more of worldly honor and wished only to be a monk.
Madonna with three hands
Bulgarian icon
Tempera on wood and canvas
35 x 25 cm
As a sign of gratitude he applied a silver hand to the icon, the first ex-voto in the history of Christianity.
Giving up his position, he distributed his fortune among the poor and left for Jerusalem to become a monk at the Monastery of St Sabas.
The Abbot of the monastery put John under an Elder who ordered him to have nothing to do with philosophy, science, poetry, chanting or reading, but to give himself uncomplainingly to menial tasks so as to advance in humility. This the Saint did.
The Abbot of the monastery put John under an Elder who ordered him to have nothing to do with philosophy, science, poetry, chanting or reading, but to give himself uncomplainingly to menial tasks so as to advance in humility. This the Saint did.
St. John Damascene
Ink, watercolor, gold leaf
4.5 x 6 inches
Theophilia, "I'm a native of the lovely Mitten State and the fifth out of eight children. I'm an avid reader and am particularly fond of ancient and medieval European history, as well as theology and philosophy. Although primarily self-taught, I graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2017 with a B.S. degree majoring in Art and minoring in Classical Studies.
In my artwork, I am principally inspired by the traditions of Catholic sacred art, along with the culture, history and art of the Middle Ages. The Catholic theological worldview fuels my passionate love for religious and historical subjects. This incarnational attitude is the reason that the human figure (especially that of the saints) plays such a central a role in all my artwork.
I work with a variety of materials and art forms. Much of my portfolio consists of icons, landscape paintings, portraits, calligraphy, illuminations, wood-carving, pyrography, graphic novels, poetry, and short stories. The media I work with the most are ink and watercolors. I also like decorative elements of all sorts: designs, borders, and patterns, and pay particular homage to my love of gothic architecture and stained-glass windows. I work in a traditional, naturalistic style inspired by the paintings of late nineteenth-century artists, stained-glass windows, and traditional Byzantine and medieval iconography. More on Theophilia
Some time later, however, a monk grieving over his brother's death persuaded John to write a funeral hymn for his consolation. Out of compassion, John wrote the hymn which is used to this day in the Funeral Service. For his disobedience, John was given the job of cleaning all the latrines of the monastery by hand, which, again, he did without complaint. A few days later the Theotokos, literally "God-bearer" is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, appeared to the Elder and told him to allow John to compose hymns and poems, which, she told, him, would surpass the Psalms of David in beauty and grace.
Attributed to Iconographer Ne'meh Naser Homsi
John of Damascus, 19th c
Arabic icon from Damascus (Syria)
I was unable to find information on Ne'meh Naser Homsi
Thus the monk John began to write the large body of inspired hymns which grace the Church's services. Among these are the Canon chanted at the Pascha Service, as well as most of the Resurrectional hymns of the Octoechos.
Saint John's poetical gifts were matched by his gifts for expressing the Church's theology: he composed a powerful defense of the icons, a complete exposition of the Orthodox Faith, and the first written refutation of Islam, which he had come to understand well while serving in the Caliph's court.
In old age, John was ordained a priest by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. He reposed in peace in 760 at the age of eighty-four. More on Saint John the Silent
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