Saint George and the Dragon – mixed media painting

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This original 8in x 10in acrylic painting features Saint George on his horse slaying the dragon in shades of magenta, gray and white with metallic silver dot work. The background of this piece is a rich multi-layer exploration of color and texture on heavyweight paper. This classic depiction of heroism is an dramatic combination of linework and stippling.

This image is has been regarded by Christians over many centuries as a symbol of hope, a reminder of the ultimate victory won by our Savior through his death and resurrection.
It is one of Christianity’s most prominent images — the many grand and dramatic depictions of a powerful soldier upon a majestic stallion slaying a hideous devilish beast give testimony to a visual theme that will perhaps forever inspire artists.

This unframed work of art arrives in a clear protective sleeve with certificate of authenticity. Dated and signed by the artist on back of piece.

Framing options available here — Framing Option

1 in stock

SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

This Christian icon image is actually a mix of truth, fairy tale and symbolism…

TRUTH — Saint George was a real person… A soldier of the Roman army at the turn of the 4th century, George is said to have boldly proclaimed his faith upon hearing a royal decree to persecute Christians. Having distributed his wealth to the poor and freed his servants in anticipation of his own death, George stood bravely and professed before the Emperor and the Roman Senate: “I am a servant of Christ, my God, and trusting in Him, I have come among you voluntarily, to bear witness concerning the Truth.” Unable to persuade this accomplished soldier, Emperor Diocletian, who had great respect and love for George, ordered he be taken out and tortured until he retracted his statement. Enduring one torture method after another including having chunks of flesh ripped from his body, George continued to survive, his wounds being healed in the power of God. During his prison stays, people in need of healing came to George and received restoration. The drama (which is said to have brought about the conversion of numerous individuals including Empress Alexandra) escalated until George was finally beheaded on April 23, AD 303.

FAIRY TALE — the Legend of Saint George… An event with little historical documentation, the legend says that George rose from the dead to deliver the people of his native city in modern-day Beruit, from a dragon who had been terrorizing them. To keep the dragon at bay, the ruler declared that each day a child would be sacrificed after being chosen by drawing lots. On the day the ruler’s own daughter had been selected, as she stood weeping on the shore of the lake were the monster resided, valiant George, riding a gorgeous white steed rushed in and gave the dragon a crushing blow, piercing it with his spear and trampling it with his horse.

SYMBOLISM — This image is also symbolic of John’s vision of Christ in Revelation 19 riding upon a white horse into battle against the beast: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war…”

ARTIST STATEMENT

Our world is one of enchantment — there is an element which eludes our physical senses yet speaks to our souls. It is the mystery of divine dwelling.

Though life may feel nothing more than a random string of events, to discover meaning woven into such occurrences is to encounter the Divine. The challenge comes in trying to hold onto such findings in the face of reason and science. How does one begin to explain a feeling, a vision, a word or a touch that defies logic?

Many persons have had such experiences, but have hidden them deep inside lest they be deemed foolish for believing such miracles can occur. My work in this series is an exploration of the internal battle raging over the adoption of a new perspective on and understanding of the world.

What is the fusion between sacred order and apparent chaos, between spiritual and physical realms? Can we ever share what cannot be explained without receiving reactions of doubt and skepticism?

ENEMY: Stoke the fire, toss in your mysteries and questions, stories of miracles and angels, visions and dreams…
Give up on your all-things-are-possible God, Christian…
Can you not understand just how disenchanted this world really is?
You are a fool…and no one will believe you…
What say you, Christian?
ME: No.

This painting is part of the series, The Battle of Enchantment — an ongoing exploration of some of my personal beliefs around the existence of a spiritual realm, the angels that occupy this space and the divine interaction between it and our world. Each piece begins with color and texture — studies in chaos. I then contemplate and select various images representative of sacred presence and care to balance the randomness of each color study.

The clean lines and stylized forms found in Byzantine and Orthodox Christian art inform my work. I combine these with a technique found in Celtic Christian illumination: to outline/fill the space between forms with tiny red dots — a visual indicator of the life-giving Word. I use a dot pattern to likewise add a sense of life and divine energy to my work.

Michelle-signature

 

Additional information

Weight 1 oz
Dimensions 8 × 10 in

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