FOUR ICONS, GURRANABRAHER, CORK

Below are four icons I painted for the parish of the Ascension, Gurranabraher, Cork while I was a deacon there in 1999. The first, of Christ enthroned, is based on a work of Emmanuel Tzanes (1610-1690) and it's in the basement chapel. The other three of Christ Pantocrator, the Virgin Orans and the Holy Trinity (after Rublev) are in the oratory in the presbytery so are not often seen by anyone but the clergy.

They're a bit big for the oratory - I guess my enthusiasm ran away with me.  I took a few too many liberties in my treatment of the Holy Trinity (ok I got carelss).  I still plan to return to that image somewhere else and do a better job.

Painting an image which seeks to be faithful to the original and is at the same size has this extraordinary effect - it's like standing in the same space as the other painter, as one where looking not just over his shoulder but through his eyes.