4. Church of St David

There is a church towards the Upper Town of Thessaloniki that had it been situated elsewhere, in another European country, it would have been widely advertised and it would have been a good reason for a total reconstruction and touristic development of the surrounding area and would definitely be famous worldwide.  Nevertheless, the Church of Saint David (the “Quarryman’s monastery”) is among the monuments of the World Heritage list of UNESCO. The reason is that despite its small size, its frescoes and mosaic, are unique. The frescoes, on one hand, of late 12^th century –period of the Komnenian Cultural rebirth, bear the same technique and style (they may have been painted by the same workshop of Thessaloniki) with those in the church of Saint Panteleimon in Nerezi –in the outskirts of Skopje, that are considered a milestone of Painting of the Middle Ages- which they precede by 2-3 years. It’s the first sample of painting ever where human psychology is depicted with the people faces and gestures – sign of the return to the humanism-focused ancient Greek culture. The mosaic, on the other hand, must have been constructed during or shortly after the construction of the church (used to be the church of the monastery that no longer exists) which was around the 5^th century. The uniqueness of the mosaic lies on the subject of it that can’t be encountered elsewhere and it’s about the vision of the prophet Ezekiel with the Christ-Emmanuel (young, without a beard) sitted on a spectrum. The mosaic was saved from the Iconomachy conflicts because someone covered it with a cow hide and plaster.

3. Manouel Panselinos

Panselinos' self portrait

The takeover of governance of Byzantium by the

St Mercurius

Palaiologi (Byzantine family) the 13th century, brought a boom in arts and culture. In painting, in particular, a revival of ancient greek standards ( a similar revival took place during the Komnenos' period in the 11th century) reinforced the so-called "Macedonian School "of painting.  Thessaloniki emerged as a cultural/art centre and local workshops decorated churches in the town (St Catherine near the western walls, the chappel of St Euthemios in St Demetrius church -both completed during the last years of the 13th century- while other churches were decorated during the 14th century -ie St Nicolaus the Orphan- all these monuments are protected by UNESCO), in Hagion Oros - Holy Mountain- and the wider Balkan area (Studenica, Staro Nagoricino etc). The most prominent artists from Thessaloniki were Eftichios, Michael Astrapas and Manouel Panselinos.

There are no words to describe Panselinos' Art. If we take a look at his works we can detect Greek classicism, Christian spirituality, Renaissance humanism and we cannot but accept what is widely said -although it sounds  preposterous- that Panselinos was a Renaissance painter before the emergence of the Renaissance!

St Theodorus of Teron

This is mainly deduced by the way Panselinos applies his colours, particularly when creating human flesh: with brush strokes steady and tender at the same time -notice the mild reddening of the cheeks!, with pale colours and a variety of shades and elimination of lines (technique that reminds "sfumato" of the Renaissance), with the buildings in the background to strengthen the sense of depth and perspective, with eyes that stare straight into spectator's eyes- and soul-  with serenity, seriousness and love.

Jesus and His Disciples in Gethsemane

All these constitute a world that radiates eternity, light, calm spirituality. And as it is said, Panselinos never used clear black colour! It is worth mentioning his military Saints like St. Mercurius or St. Artemius, and also his female figures, eternal standards of a wonderful Greek beauty. His compositions, on the other hand, are distinguished for their rythm, their theatricality and balance. It is

The Baptism

not accidental that the style of Panselinos revived during the 18th century by artists like Dionisius of Fourna (who based his treatise/ tutorial on the works of Panselinos) who, other more and  other less succesfully rendered the spirit of his Art.