Greek Icons

Greek Icons

The Greek icons we sell are hand-made in Greece in the traditional manner of Byzantine art. They are painted with egg, tempura and gold leaf on canvas and aged wood. They are new works of art done in an antique style and are stamped and labeled, guaranteeing their authenticity as real Greek Icons. They are made in the rocky rural mountains of Mediora, which is a natural fortress of stone. It is famous for the 12 monastaries located here for protection from the Ottoman Turks. While availability is typically not an issue, on occassion there can be delays as new icons are crafted.

Orthodox Icons

Religious Statues

Religious Medals

Shop Now For Greek Icons

Background on Greek Icons

Greek Icons are religious paintings done on wooden panels in the Byzantine style. The word Icon comes from the Greek EIKON which means image. It is believed that Icon painting originated in the Byzantine Empire about the 6th century and spread to Russia in the 10th century when Prince Vladimir of Kiev was baptized at Korsun, a Greek colony on the Black Sea. The first Golden Age of Byzantine Art had begun by 300-400 AD This period was culminated by the construction of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The earliest Greek Icons that survive from this age were painted in hot wax, also known as encaustic. From the 9th to the 12th century a second Golden Age of Byzantine art arose which is also known as the Middle Byzantine period. Although an icon could be a panel painted with a sacred subject intended for veneration, it could also be an image on a mosaic, an enamel, an ivory carving, a sculpture, and even a coin. What was essential was that the icon's imitation of the holy figure enabled the image to partake of the essence and sanctity of the actual figure portrayed. By venerating the likeness, the worshiper honored the sainted figure through the gateway of the icon. First used privately, icons with Christian subjects gradually entered the church.