The Annunciation

Due to the poor condition of the icon and the decomposition of the wood, the layer of painting was transferred to canvas in 1958. On the golden ground, in red capital letters is written the inscription Ο ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΗ[ΣΜΟΣ]. On the left, the archangel approaches the Virgin stretching out his right hand in a gesture of speech. In his left hand he holds a long sceptre. On the right stands the Virgin on a footstool, in front of a backless stool. With one hand extruding from the maphorion she declares acceptance, while the other still holds the spindle and the yarn. At the sides, flanking the composition, stand two high buildings connected by a wall. Next to the roof of the right edifice, the Holy Dove is represented in the form of a small radiating dove, enveloped in a circle. The technical execution of this icon of Patmos is perfect and the scene depicted is in all its details typically Cretan: this type of representation of the Annunciation was formulated on Crete in the 15th century on the basis of Paleologan prototypes and prevailed throughout the 16th and 17th century.