A Picture of the Battle of Lepanto

Author(s): R. M. Dawkins
Source: The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 50, Part 1 (1930), pp. 1-3
Published by: The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/626158
Accessed: 02-02-2020 00:20 UTC

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 A PICTURE OF THE BATTLE OF LEPANTO

[PLATE I.]

A VERY interesting symbolic picture of the battle of Lepanto execu

miniature style has recently reached this country from Athens, and t
Sir Arthur Evans, has kindly allowed me to publish a reprod
description of it.

The picture measures -373 m. in height by .275 m. in width, and is

with a full range of colours on a sheet of vellum which has been at
sharply folded across about half-way up the picture. Above and b
on the back there are inscriptions in Greek, but before we come to th
be convenient to give some description of the picture itself. Thi
horizontally into two parts: above we see the saints and angels loo
upon the battle; below is the battle itself, and immediately above
of the fray, where the two fleets, Christian and Turkish, are in co
small medallion containing a throned figure of Christ.
The background to the upper half of the picture is of gold
forming an upper register, is a row of saints, standing upon a ban
Beginning from the left these are: (1) St. Spyridon (6 &ytos TvupIS
Justina (1 d&yia 'lovo-rlvTl); (3) the Virgin seated with the Child in
(4) St. Pelagia (j &yia VTEacyifa); (5) St. Eleutherios (6 &ylos '"
The reason for the presence of St. Spyridon is explained by the ins
the back of the sheet: it is he who saved the dedicator of the pic
battle. St. Eleutherios is there because Lepanto was the battle
to give freedom to the Christians. The figure of the Virgin in the
supported by five cherubs. She is inscribed as usual with the lett
Mother of God, and on the left of the spectator by her halo are t
eEOT6KO S~ his, Mother of God, Help (of Christians). The Child is
IX C, Jesus Christ; on His halo are the usual words 6 cov, He who
holds in His extended left hand a branch as a sign of victory.
Below the cloud upon which these saints are standing is a seco
of cloud, also stretching across the picture; from the upper edge of th
three angels with weapons, heavenly champions of the Christian
angel on the left wears a red dress with kilts, of the Roman soldier ty
on church icons, and carries a lance. The middle angel has a simil
but of gold, and over it floats a red mantle; he carries a sword. Th
the right wears a flowing robe and brandishes a sword. All three h
or dusky wings.
J.H.S.-VOL. L. B

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 2 R. M. DAWKINS

Below the clouds is the p

reaches down to the sky-lin
This contains a seated figure
in blessing coming out from
medallion are the words in
(6 pcAth~S -r TCO v caotEU6
the whole space is filled by
On the spectator's left is th
the medallion with the figu
of the battle where the two
are black, or black and re
on the sterns of the ships are
the ships show that battle
red; the Venetian are mark
High up on the left of the
each.
On the back of the pictur
which can only be partly
runs :-

The Battle of Lepanto in which the Venetians destroy

(i.e. the Turks) and . . . was blockaded, and St. Spy
Then his wife, Mary (?), is mentioned, and then t
the monastery of St. Athanasios. In the last two line
at the words he esteemed its, or his, value, and the w
and Priest.
On the picture itself we have one-line inscrip
below the picture itself. Above we have :-Kal Si6
pactYEso 671t x KouppooAta EP13COVEIV jTCO1 TO X
--as daTo T-Kva 6 orxApbos Ovaros T-ro Troh~EOV
ac. ..., which means, although the words bear
struction: And for this reason the most wise king sa
stocks, that is to separate mothers from children
The hand of Lawrence the Monk, 15. . The final
and the date of Lepanto is 1571; for all that t
almost certainly to be a A and not an O.
FroAm this we may infer that Lawrence, an or
at some monastery of St. Athanasios, painted th
Lepanto at the request of a man who attributed
fight to the good offices of St. Spyridon, the gr
Mary seems to have joined with him in the pious
The picture is notable as being of a very unus
great skill, and, though slightly rubbed and cre
preservation. Whatever originality there may
arrangement of the whole, it is plain that the sever
very much to the traditional stock-in-trade of
saints at the top show no signs of composition a

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 A PICTURE OF THE BATTLE OF LEPANTO 3

seem to be taken from separate icons, except that the pair

belong together. The three angels and the medallio
conventional type. The picture of the battle itself mak
Italy than of Greece; this and the prominence of St. Spyri
that the work is a product of the Ionian islands. Tho
made up of a patchwork of derived elements, the pic
charm, due in the main to the elegance of the workm
decided beauty of the colouring, at once rich and delic
inscription on the back is not more legible : in many part
disappeared. If we could read it completely, it is possib
very likely, that we might be able to place the origin of t
precision. R. M. DAWKINS.

n2

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 J.H.S. VOL. L. (1930). PL. 1.

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THE BATTLE OF LEPANTO.

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