The Baptism of the Armenian People by St. Gregory the Illuminator by Ivan Aivazovsky

The Baptism of the Armenian People by St. Gregory the Illuminator - Ivan Aivazovsky - Oil Painting

Product Overview

Choose The Baptism of the Armenian People by St. Gregory the Illuminator as a hand painted oil painting and skip the compromise of printed wall decor. Based on Ivan Aivazovsky's original. Our artists rebuild the figurative composition stroke by stroke, producing romantic canvas wall art with lasting color depth.

The Story Behind the Painting

1892
Oil on canvas
152 x 97 cm
Feodosia National Gallery I. K. Aivazovsky.

In this restoration St. Gregory played an important part. He had been brought up as a Christian at Caesarea in Cappadocia. He seems to have belonged to an illustrious Armenian family. He was married and had two sons (called Aristakes and Bardanes in the Greek text of Moses of Kkhorni; see below). Gregory, after being himself persecuted by King Trdat, who at first defended the old Armenian religion, eventually converted him, and with him spread the Christian faith throughout the country. Trdat became so much a Christian that he made Christianity the national faith; the nobility seem to have followed his example easily, then the people followed — or were induced to follow — too. This happened while Diocletian was emperor (284-305), so that Armenia has a right to her claim of being the first Christian State. The temples were made into churches and the people baptized in thousands. So completely were the remains of the old heathendom effaced that we know practically nothing about the original Armenian religion (as distinct from Mazdeism), except the names of some gods whose temples were destroyed or converted (the chief temple at Ashtishat was dedicated to Vahagn, Anahit and Astlik; Vanatur was worshipped in the North round Mount Ararat, etc.). Meanwhile Gregory had gone back to Caessarea to be ordained. Leontius of Caesarea made him bishop of the Armenians; from this time till the Monophysite schism the Church of Armenia depended on Casearea, and the Armenian primates (called Catholicoi, only much later patriarchs) went there to be ordained. Gregory set up other bishops throughout the land and fixed his residence at Ashtishat (in the province of Taron), where the temple had been made into the church of Christ, “mother of all Armenian churches”. He preached in the national language and used it for the liturgy. This, too, helped to give the Armenian Church the markedly national character that it still has, more, perhaps, than any other in Christendom. Towards the end of his life he retired and was succeeded as Catholicos by his son Aristakes. Aristakes was present at the First General Council, in 325. Gregory died and was buried at Thortan. A monastery was built near his grave. His relics were afterwards taken to Constantinople, but apparently brough back again to Armenia. Part of these relics are said to have been taken to Naples during the Iconoclast troubles.

Collectors often choose this figurative image when searching for portrait oil painting that feels substantial rather than decorative or disposable.

Materials & Craftsmanship

Materials matter for romantic wall decor. That is why this piece is built on artist-grade canvas with lightfast oil colors, applied by hand rather than output from a printer, and sealed for long-term display.

Specifications & What You Receive

• 100% hand-painted oil painting on artist-grade canvas — never a print or digital reproduction.
• Comes with a 2-inch unpainted margin on every side, ready for stretcher bars or a frame.
• Studio-direct pricing and worldwide shipping on every portrait oil painting order.
• Available canvas sizes for this hand painted oil painting: 20 X 24 in, 24 X 36 in, 30 X 40 in, 36 X 48 in, 48 X 72 in.
• Made-to-measure options are available for this figurative canvas.
• Multiple low-cost carriers available, including DHL, UPS, FedEx and USPS.
• Free professional stretching on wooden stretcher bars — contact us for framing options.
• A digital photo of your finished painting is emailed for approval before shipment.

Where to Hang It

Style it over a fireplace, behind a reading chair, or along a staircase. Wherever it goes, this romantic oil painting wall decor adds the layered color that only a hand painted canvas provides.

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