01 Work, RELIGIOUS ART - Interpretation the bible, Dimitrios Biskinis' Saint George and the Death, with Footnotes #130

Dimitrios Biskinis

Saint George and the Death / The joust

Oil on canvas

37 x 58.5 cm

Private collection

Saint George (circa 275/281 – 23 April 303 AD) was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian martyr. His parents were Christians of Greek background; his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was from Lydda, Syria Palaestina. Saint George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

In the fully developed Western version of the Saint George Legend, a dragon, or crocodile, makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene in Libya or the city of Lydda in Palistine, depending on the source). Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time, to collect water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at first a sheep, and if no sheep can be found, then a maiden is the best substitute for one. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happens to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but then Saint George appears on his travels. He faces the dragon, protects himself with the sign of the Cross, slays the dragon, and rescues the princess. The citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity. More on Saint George 

Dimitris Biskinis was born in 1891 in Patra. In 1901 he enrolled as auditor at the School of Fine Arts of Athens where he studied painting from 1901 until 1911. In 1920 he studied in Paris and Rome. With his return to Greece he engaged in the illustration of books and advertising. In 1928 he became professor at the ASKT where he taught until his death in 1947. More on Dimitris Biskinis

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