274 - Emmanuel Tzanes (Rethymno 1610 – Venice 1690), attributed

Emmanuel Tzanes (Rethymno 1610 – Venice 1690), attributed The Ascension of Jesus Christ Tempera and gold on panel 119 x 69 cm A detailed examination of this icon from the Venetian-Cretan school, dating to the second half of the 17th century, reveals a combination of stylistic and technical elements reminiscent of the art of Emmanuel Tzanes. Starting with the support, we note that the panel appears to be made of spruce, a type of wood widely used in Venice due to its particular resistance to moisture. From a stylistic perspective, elements typical of the Cretan master’s painting converge, such as: the extreme simplification of the landscape; the dynamic and distinctive rendering of the shrubs, whether cypresses or olive trees; the elongated conical shape of the figures’ necks; and, finally, the technique used to render the beards and hair. Finally, it is interesting to note how the artist gives the icon a Venetian character by depicting the beautiful gold embroidery on the Virgin’s robe, reminiscent of the ancient Byzantine-influenced Venetian painting of Lorenzo Veneziano and the 14th-century Venetian school. The history of this sacred image dates back to early Christian representations. The Virgin, who is not mentioned in the “Acts of the Apostles,” appears in the iconography of the Ascension only after the Council of Nicaea in 431. She represents the Church on earth, symbolically present without turning her gaze toward heaven. Placed at the center of the arrangement of the apostles, she is a symbol of the Incarnation of Christ. In heaven, two angels raise the halo of light surrounding the blessing Jesus Christ, while two others in white robes announce Christ’s return to the apostles. Finally, note that the number of apostles has returned to twelve; after Judas’s betrayal, Matthias was chosen to take his place. Emmanuel Tzanes (Rethymno 1610 – Venice 1690) attributed The Ascension of Christ Tempera and gold on panel 119 × 69 cm A close examination of this Cretan-Venetian icon, datable to the second half of the seventeenth century, reveals a combination of stylistic and technical features reminiscent of the work of Emmanuel Tzanes. The panel appears to be made of spruce, a wood widely used in Venice for its particular resistance to humidity. Stylistically, several distinctive elements associated with the Cretan master converge here: the extreme simplification of the landscape; the dynamic and highly characteristic rendering of the vegetation, whether cypresses or olive trees; the elongated, conical treatment of the figures’ necks; and, finally, the distinctive technique employed in the rendering of beards and hair. Of particular interest is the artist’s Venetian interpretation of the icon, most notably in the exquisite gold embroidery on the Virgin’s robe. This detail recalls the Byzantine-influenced Venetian painting of Lorenzo Veneziano and the Venetian school of the fourteenth century. The iconography of the Ascension of Christ has its roots in early Christian representations. Although the Virgin is not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, she appears in depictions of the Ascension only after the Council of Ephesus in 431. She symbolically represents the Church on earth, standing present without turning her gaze toward heaven. Positioned at the center of the group of Apostles, she also serves as a symbol of the Incarnation of Christ. In heaven, two angels raise the luminous halo surrounding Christ as He blesses, while two others, dressed in white, announce His return to the Apostles. It is also noteworthy that the Apostles are once again depicted as twelve: following Judas’s betrayal, Matthias was chosen to take his place.