The wall-paintings in the katholikon of the Saint Neophytos Monastery: iconography, artistic identity, and the Cretan Theophanis in Venetian Cyprus


Published: Jan 27, 2023
Keywords:
16th century post-Byzantine painting Cretan painting Venetian period in Cyprus cycle of the Akathistos Ηymn painter Theophanis Strelitzas-Bathas painter Iossif Chouris Saint Neophytos Monastery katholikon Cyprus
Maria CONSTANTOUDAKI-KITROMILIDES (Μαρία ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΟΥΔΑΚΗ-ΚΙΤΡΟΜΗΛΙΔΟΥ)
Abstract

This paper deals with the wall paintings in the katholikon of the Saint Neophytos monastery, Cyprus and attributes them to the Cretan artist Theophanis Strelitzas-Bathas (ca. 1485-†1559). A Cretan icon in the church, the Virgin “Enkleistriani”, commissioned by abbot Ioakeim II (documented in 1512, †1521), is signed by Theophylaktos. He is here proposed to be identified with a homonymous member (documented in 1509 and 1517) of the Strelitzas-Bathas family of painters active in Crete. Furthermore, following a series of arguments the said Theophylaktos is identified with Theophanis Strelitzas-Bathas, who, selecting a monastic name with the same initial as his secular name, was already a monk by 1527, the year he signed frescoes in Meteora.

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