Saint Paraskevi

This icon was moved to the Treasury from the country chapel of Saint Paraskevi and was cleaned and restored in 1975. It exhibits some of the most characteristic artistic elements of a Cretan group distinguished by fine executions, though academic in character, a feature probably established by Andreas Ritzos.
Inscribed on the golden ground is:
Ἡ ἉΓ(ια) ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΉ
Ἡ ΘΑΥΜΑΤΟΥΡΓΌΣ.
On the reverse there is a dark red cross and written:
IC IC ΝΙΚΑ Φ(ῶς) Χ(ριστοῦ) Φ(αίνει) Π(ᾶσι).
The Saint is depicted half length, with a cross in her right hand and her left hand in a gesture of respect. On the top left there is a miniature but of Christ; he is blessing and holding a gospel book, decorated with gems. On the top right, Virgin Paraklesis (Virgin of Petition) is seen, except that the Virgin here does not carry the scroll with the conventional, recurring inscription which usually calls for the salvation of mortals. Saint Paraskevi wears a red maphorion -similar to that of the Virgin- with rich drapery and a light brown coloured garment. Christ bears a red tunic and a mantle in light and deep tones of blue. The two miniatures are more freely modelled, a fact that lends expressiveness to their faces, and are stylistically related to miniatures in icons by Ritzos; however, the drapery of the Saint's attire is rendered with plasticity, without becoming geometrical as is with many icons that imitate Ritzos' work. The icon seems, thus, to be dated before the ones of about 1600 that are closely associated with Ritzos, and the date 1632 on the icon appears to be a later addition.