RARE Greek Orthodox Icon Virgin Mary Theotokos HAND SIGNED K. GEORGAKOPOULOS

RARE Greek Orthodox Icon of the Virgin Mary – Signed K. Georgakopoulos

Offered is a beautiful and distinctive Greek Orthodox icon of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), painted in the traditional Byzantine / post-Byzantine iconographic manner. The icon bears a Greek handwritten artist's inscription at the lower left: «ΧΕΙΡ Κ. ΓΕΩΡΓΑΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ», meaning approximately “By the hand of K. Georgakopoulos.”

The use of ΧΕΙΡ (“hand”) as part of an icon painter's signature is a traditional Greek iconographic practice. Comparable historical icons use the same type of formula, such as signatures meaning “the hand of” the painter.

The name is particularly interesting because Konstantinos (Kostas) Georgakopoulos is documented as a student and collaborator of the important Greek iconographer Photis Kontoglou. Georgakopoulos later became closely associated with the teaching of Byzantine iconography and in 1962 became the first supervising professor of the Frescoes and Portable Icons workshop at the Athens School of Fine Arts.

Important: The signature and artistic characteristics make this an interesting collector's piece, but the attribution to a specific artist should be considered “signed K. Georgakopoulos / attributed to Konstantinos Georgakopoulos” unless independently authenticated.

Icon Details

• Subject: Virgin Mary / Theotokos
• Tradition: Greek Orthodox / Byzantine iconography
• Artist inscription: ΧΕΙΡ Κ. ΓΕΩΡΓΑΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ
• Artist: K. (Konstantinos/Kostas) Georgakopoulos – signed / attributed
• Period: 20th century, likely mid-century; exact date unknown
• Material: Painted wooden panel
• Weight: 980 g / approximately 34.57 oz
• Dimensions: 30 × 19 × 3 cm
• Dimensions in inches: approximately 11.81 × 7.48 × 1.18 in
• Orientation: Portrait
• Back: Wooden panel with aged blue-painted surface and hanging loop
• Condition: Antique/vintage surface wear, age-related marks, scratches, paint losses and abrasions visible in photographs. Please examine all photographs carefully.

Measurements

30 cm × 19 cm × 3 cm
11.81 in × 7.48 in × 1.18 in
Weight: 980 g / 34.57 oz