THESSALONIKI, Greece — Innovative investigative techniques utilized on a medieval illuminated manuscript in Paris may have unraveled a long-standing mystery—the genuine identity of a prominent Byzantine painter who infused emotion into the often rigid spirituality of Orthodox religious art.
This artist, recognized in modern times as Manuel Panselinos, was a contemporary of Giotto, who is revered as the father of Western painting. Panselinos holds significant importance in a different artistic tradition that has often been overlooked in Western art history.
Details surrounding his life remain obscure, and academics now propose that “Panselinos” may have merely been a nickname that ultimately overshadowed his original name, which is believed to be Ioannis Astrapas, hailing from Thessaloniki in northern Greece.
The Byzantine art that embellishes churches throughout Greece, Serbia, and other Orthodox nations is notable for its distinctive formalism, typified by elongated figures of saints, quasi-cubist landscapes, and serene depictions of the Madonna.
Attributions to Panselinos, dating back to the late 13th and early 14th centuries, are regarded as some of the finest works produced during an empire that spanned Europe and Asia and lasted from the fall of Rome to the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453.
Art historians have speculated for years that the name “Panselinos,” which translates to “full moon” in Greek, may have originated as a title for a member of the Macedonian School of painting, based in Thessaloniki.
Recent inquiries led by a Greek monk and linguistics expert have established a connection between “Panselinos” and the painter Astrapas of the Macedonian School. Furthermore, handwriting analyst Christina Sotirakoglou has identified a match between the lettering in a manuscript tentatively attributed to Astrapas and those found in a notable church painting in northern Greece, typically linked to Panselinos.
Father Cosmas Simonopetritis, who previously held a senior administrative position at Mount Athos, the independent monastic community where the Protato church is located, asserts that the research conducted by Sotirakoglou and himself strongly substantiates the theory regarding Panselinos’ actual identity.
“Panselinos existed as a historical figure, and the name was merely a nickname for Ioannis Astrapas,” he stated.
Constantinos Vafiadis, a professor specializing in Byzantine art in Athens who was not directly involved in this research, acknowledged the plausibility of the nickname narrative, along with the connection to Astrapas, even as he noted that more than one artist may have participated in the Protato project.
“I support the idea of assigning part of those paintings to Ioannis Astrapas,” he commented. “However, there is still much territory to explore in future studies about him, particularly as other monuments in Mount Athos from that era remain insufficiently documented.”
The figure known as “Panselinos,” an inspiration for countless painters, and his contemporaries were pivotal in catalyzing a revival of Orthodox art that drew on forms and techniques derived from ancient artistry. This resurgence allowed for deeper emotional expressions in facial features and a more nuanced approach to proportions and spatial depth in compositions.
Father Cosmas elaborated that Astrapas was “an exceptionally talented artist with extensive knowledge who skillfully blended ancient classical aesthetics with Orthodox Byzantine spiritual themes.”
During that historical period, artists typically did not create signatures, although some are known to exist from members of the Astrapas family, with none attributed to “Panselinos.”
The investigation began with earlier findings linking Astrapas to an artist and scholar who produced the Marcian Codex GR 516, an early 14th-century Greek manuscript that covers a spectrum of topics from astronomy to music theory, and includes a notable illustration of a full moon.
“For me, that illustration constituted the principal evidence,” Father Cosmas remarked.
With the artists’ names partially attributed to the manuscript, the focus then shifted to comparing its style against that of the writing on the Protato painting, which has traditionally been associated with “Panselinos.”
Sotirakoglou, a court consultant specializing in handwriting identification, undertook this analysis, albeit with a significant hurdle: the prohibition of women from entering Mount Athos for over a millennium.
“I had to analyze photographs of the Protato paintings,” she explained. “The challenge was compounded as the wall painting inscriptions utilized capital letters while artists conformed their personal styles to the expected norms,” akin to individuals trying to conceal their true writing styles. “The Marcian codex utilized diminutive lowercase letters instead.”
The Greek letter Phi, resembling an English “F,” emerged as a significant clue.
“This Phi stands out and is comparable in both the manuscript and the Protato painting,” she noted. “We also detected matches with letters such as T, characterized by its larger proportions that dominate the other letters, along with K.”
“Once the Phi was identified, it simplified the overall analysis,” she added.
Father Cosmas shared that while serving in an administrative capacity at Mount Athos, he attended services at the Protato church daily.
“That experience sparked my interest in unraveling the mystery surrounding the name and identity of Panselinos,” he shared, expressing belief that the artist “has finally reclaimed his true identity.”