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COLLECTIONS / Best of Museum

Wall painting of the healing Saints Cosmas and Damiamos

This wall painting depicts Saints Cosmas and Damianos bowing to Christ who is seated on a throne for the healing of ill people. The composition is divided into two zones, the upper of which is partly preserved. In the lower zone, the two saints, Cosmas and Damianos, are depicted on either side of a cross that stands on a base. The two healing saints are standing in full length, rather mature with moustache and short beard. They wear chiton and imation and they have their arms upward in a posture of prayer. To the right is a part of a building with a screen across the entrance, slightly raised in its lower part. In the upper zone, Christ is shown sitting on a throne. He wears a chiton and an imation, while an angel stands to his right. Another angel was probably depicted to the other side.

The two saints are also called Anargyroi (lit. Silverless), because, according to the tradition, they offered their medical services without payment. In this particular wall painting they are shown with no medical object. The covering of the arms with the garment symbolises the grace given by God to heal. Probably, the place where the wall painting was found must have been a makeshift medical centre or a healing agiasma associated to the worship of the saints.

 

Code

ΒΤ 115

Type

Detached wall painting

Chronology

575-600

Dimensions

Height 198 cm., length 256 cm.

Material of Construction

Paint on mortar

Origin

Thessaloniki, ancient Agora