Digital Interactive Educational and Promotional Services for the Museum of St. Catherine in Heraklion

DIGITAL TOUR

Byzantine Icons


Christ Pantocrator. Closter of the Virgin Kera Eleoussa (“Compassionate”), Gouves, county of Pediada. End of the 14th c. Double zone icon. Upper zone: “Chairete” (Christ appears to the Holy Women). Lower zone: The Miracle of Saint Fanourios. Painter Angelos Akotantos. Closter of the Virgin Hodegetria, county of Pyrgiotissa. Second quarter of the 15th c. The Adoration of the Magi. Painter Michael Damaskenos. Closter of Vrontissi, county of Kainourgio. Between 1585 and 1591.The Birth of Saint John the Baptist. Closter of Saint John the Theologian, Anopolis, county of Pediada. 1670.

Visitors begin their tour with the collection of the 15th century byzantine icons that are exhibited on the right side of the central aisle. Particular attention is paid to the early 15th c. eminent painter Angelos Akotantos as the exhibition hosts two of the icons he painted for the iconostasis of the Closter of the Virgin Odegetria in the area of Messara. Apart from the written texts related to the interpretation of the collection, visitors can get additional information on the subject through a touchscreen.
The exhibition proceeds further on, with icons dating from the 16th up to the 19th c. At the center of the church, an elliptical structure accommodates the six famous icons of the painter Michael Damaskenos from the Closter of Vrontissi. In the core area of the structure there is a two-sided projection of short films referring to the exhibits.