St. Thomas

Painting

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

St. Thomas

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.055

Description

Tempera on curved wooden panel bordered in red, black, and olive green before lowered image. The central image is labelled in the top two corners and shows a man with brown hair and clean shaven face dressed in deep turquoise and red robes holding a gold leaf gospel book. He also has a gold leaf halo rimmed in red and he stands on a brown horizon line on a yellow background. Part of a matching set with 2005.02.067.

Type of Painting

Panel

Artwork Details

Medium

Tempera

Collection

Betsy Scheuring Icon Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2005.02

Source or Donor

Betsy Scheuring

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Betsy Scheuring

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1800

Place

* Untyped Place

Northern Russia

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Icon

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Symbol, Religious

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Religious Objects

Nomenclature Class

Ceremonial Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

21 in

Width

11-1/4 in

Depth

1-1/2 in

Exhibitions

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Surveying the Sacred: Analysis of the Scheuring Collection of Eastern Orthodox Icons (2025)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

St. Thomas was one of the major figures in early Christianity. Known as Thomas the Believer, he was one of Christ’s twelve apostles who, as recounted in the Gospel of John 20:24-29, wanted to touch Christ’s wounds in order to be convinced of his Resurrection. He was an authority on the Gnostic faith. He also was the only apostle present at Mary’s Assumption. In this icon, Thomas is seen holding one of the Gospels. His tall, slender form and precisely rendered drapery reflect the Byzantine style. This icon forms a set with 2005.02.067, with the result that he and St. Paul faced each other, adopting the same pose.