St. Gregory the Theologian

Painting

-

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

St. Gregory the Theologian

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.075

Description

Painting on flat wooden panel covered by metal riza with floral and scroll border. A Cyrillic caption is engraved in the top center of the riza. The painting shows a man with greying-brown beard bent to the left holding a gospel book. He wears red robes with a olive green stole decorated in yellow cross motifs. He has a raised riza halo with circular decorations.

Type of Painting

Panel

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

Place

Country

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

14-1/4 in

Width

6-1/2 in

Depth

1-1/4 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. Gregory here holds a text, possibly a Bible or his own writings, which made him famous. During his lifetime, the accomplished orator/theologian/rhetorician Gregory Nazianzus was best known for the five treatises on Christianity that he wrote and delivered at Constantinople in 380 CE. He is known as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs, the other two being Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. Their feast day is January 30th. The metal riza over the icon has only one open section revealing the complete figure of the saint painted underneath, as opposed to the usual cutouts of only the face or hands. The foliate border and beaded outlining complement the ornate metal halo of the icon. Dark rich colors of red and yellow, the rendering of the tile floor, and the figure’s elongated body reflect the Byzantine style."