Egg tempera on wood, 27.3 x 22 cm ( Greece, Crete ) c. 1500
St Menas is Egypt s most importmant saint.He is said to have been born in there, served as a soldier in the Roman army, and to have acknowledged his faith in Phrygia during the persecution of Christians under Diocletian, being beheaded in consequence.
This very high quality picture of a saint was probaly painted for an aristocratic patron, as an icon of his own patron saint, by one of the best Cretan icon painters.
From ICONS ( TASCHEN ) by EVA HAUSTEIN BARTSCH
