Icon - John the Baptist - Wood - Hand-painted - 18 x 29 cm

Icon of Saint John the Baptist 'Angel of the Desert' – tempera on a thick wooden panel.
Ancient icon depicting John the Baptist, represented according to the rare and powerful Eastern iconography of the 'Angel of the Desert,' with large dark wings spread wide, symbolizing his prophetic mission and ascetic life.
The saint is depicted frontally, with a stern and expressive face, a long beard, and disheveled hair, surrounded by a gold-colored halo decorated with dots. He blesses with his right hand. At the bottom of the icon, there is a tray with the severed head of Saint John, a direct reference to his martyrdom, an iconographic element of strong symbolic and theological significance.
At the top, inscriptions in Greek characters (“Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰω…”, Saint John) are visible, typical of Byzantine and post-Byzantine icon tradition.
The icon is hand-painted in tempera on a thick, heavy wooden panel, with a red border around the perimeter. The painted surface shows a patina of time, abrasions, and signs of use, consistent with its age and a long devotional purpose, which enhances its authenticity and charm.