Modern crime-solving methods have helped identify a leading Byzantine artist, Manuel Panselinos, long shrouded in mystery. Scholars now believe Panselinos, known for blending humanity into Orthodox art, was a nickname for Ioannis Astrapas, a painter from Thessaloniki.
According to cbsnews, Panselinos’ works, attributed to the late 13th and early 14th centuries, are among the finest from the Byzantine Empire, known for its elongated saints and stark formalism. His identity has remained uncertain, but recent research has linked him to the Macedonian School of painting.
Greek monk Father Cosmas Simonopetritis and handwriting expert Christina Sotirakoglou compared lettering on a manuscript attributed to Astrapas with writing on paintings in Protato Church, Mount Athos, long considered Panselinos’ masterpiece.
“Panselinos was a real person, and the name was just a nickname for Ioannis Astrapas,” Father Cosmas told the Associated Press.
Despite Mount Athos’ millennium-old ban on female visitors, Sotirakoglou used photographs for analysis, identifying similarities in unique letter shapes, particularly the Greek Phi.
Father Cosmas’ daily visits to the Protato Church inspired his research, which he believes confirms the artist’s true identity. Byzantine art professor Constantinos Vafiadis agreed that Astrapas likely contributed to the Protato paintings but called for further study.
Astrapas’ works, combining classical antiquity and Orthodox spirituality, reflect a renaissance in Byzantine art, making his contributions unique worldwide.
Source: cbsnews
