Christmas Card 2023
The Miracle of Saint Nicholas rescuing a Drowning Sailor.
In the midst of a powerful storm at sea, graphically rendered in the ‘abstract enchantment’ manner of Russian icons, the Holy Bishop with gospel in hand appears calm and self-possessed. He gently raises a sailor from terrible death. This is one detail from a monumental icon of Saint Nicholas showing 32 miraculous scenes of his life recently acquired by the Temple Gallery. This masterpiece of the Palekh School will be the subject of a monograph, How Nicholas the Wonderworker became Santa Claus. The Universal Saint of All Christendom. to be published by the Temple Gallery in 2024 or 2025.
Please note that we shall be presenting a catalogue of some 30 recently acquired icons and Byzantine antiquities in the New Year together with our travel programme and other icon-related news.
Our website, hosted by Art Logic, has been updated to include my doctoral thesis Pieter Bruegel and Esoteric Tradition, found on the ‘contact’ link. It also restores the links to the poetic photography of Alain de Lotbinière showing the availability his fine art publication The Russian Soul as well as news of his exhibition at the Icon Museum and Study Centre (formerly the Museum of Russian Icons) including Mark Feeney's review in the Boston Globe (click here).
The Russian Soul is available for sale at the Temple Gallery. Price £95. Postage and packing: UK: £5, Europe £20, USA £40. I recommend a visit to https://www.delotbinierephotography.com/.
My own recuperation from an operation for a new knee is going fine. I hope to be fully mobile by the New year.
From all of us at the Temple Gallery MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Dick Temple
Saint Nicholas appears to the emperor Constantine in a dream,
from the same icon of Saint Nicholas showing 32 miraculous scenes.