Saint George fighting the dragon

The icon depicts St. George, the exceptionally revered saint of the Eastern Church, the patron saint of knights. He lived at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries CE and was a soldier of the Roman army, who was martyred for his faith in Christ during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. The symbol of his martyrdom is the red cloak he wore over his armour. One of the most famous legends about St. George is a story about the liberation of a princess and the slaying of a dragon claiming her life. This episode is presented in the icon: the saint is portrayed as a knight on horseback piercing with his lance the throat of a dragon writhing under the horse’s hooves. The dragon is depicted as a yellowish snake-like creature with membranous wings, a long, scaly neck, bird’s feet and a tail. In the background, on the right, is a princess looking up, with her hands folded in a gesture of prayer and gratitude. In the circle of clouds there is a hand – Manus Dei, the hand of God – a sign of God’s protection, extended in a gesture of blessing. Above, in the back, one can see the royal couple – the parents of the rescued princess.

The entire performance is framed in a splayed and profiled frame. At the top of the frame is a Cyrillic caption: ‘Here is the Great Martyr of Christ, George’ – the saint is considered one of the Great Martyrs of the Eastern Church. At the bottom is a foundation inscription from which one can learn that the icon was commissioned in July 1741 by ‘God’s servant Jerzy’ and his wife with the hope of receiving forgiveness for the sins of their family.