Further reading
On Coptipedia, the Coptic encyclopedia (in French)
Certificate of authenticity
Delivered with your artwork
Your hand-painted icon comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Armia Elkatcha. It identifies your artwork, its dimensions, its number and its completion date.
- Artist
- Armia Elkatcha
- Artwork
- Saint Athanasius the Apostolic
- Representation
- The saint presenting the scroll
- Dimensions
- 90 × 130 cm
- Certificate number
- Assigned to your completed artwork
- Completion date
- Recorded upon completion
Armia Elkatcha’s signature
Signed by the artist on the certificate delivered with the artwork
Apostles, martyrs and saints
Saint Athanasius the Apostolic
Unique and personalised icon by Armia Elkatcha Size of your choice. The smaller the icon, the fewer details the artist can include. The photo shows the XL size.
Prices include French VAT at 5.5%
Hand-painted on request · Delivered in 2 to 4 months · Free delivery
Saint Athanasius, 20th Patriarch of Alexandria (c. 296-373), is a major defender of the faith of Nicaea: the Son is fully God, and the Word truly became human for our salvation. His writings and the trials of repeated exile deeply shaped the Church.
These two portraits present him as a teacher of the faith: in the first he holds a scroll with Coptic and English inscriptions; in the second he writes, surrounded by manuscripts, on a patriarchal seat. This page is separate from the narrative icon in which he writes the Life of Saint Antony.
The English text on the second scroll confesses the one Christ, fully God and fully human. Its wording should not be attributed to Athanasius on the evidence of the image alone; it belongs to the Christological language of the Alexandrian tradition.
Biblical references illuminating his teaching: John 1:1-14; John 10:30; Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:6-11.
Studio journal
From preparing the support to the final details: the usual stages of a hand-painted icon.
Prepare the wood
The wooden support is prepared to receive the drawing, gold leaf and paint.
Draw the composition
The scene, figures and symbols are arranged according to the chosen representation and size.
Apply the gold leaf
Gilding brings light to the background and halos, in the tradition of the Coptic icon.
Paint the icon
Colours, garments and faces are painted by hand. The level of detail is adapted to the size of the artwork.
Finish and authenticate
The final details and finishing touches are completed. The artist signs the certificate bearing the artwork’s number and date.
