The 19th-Century Icon of Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia

A notable work of religious art from our icon collection, the 19th-century icon of Saints Cosmas and Damian depicts two highly revered figures in Eastern Christianity. According to hagiographic literature, Cosmas and Damian were twins who had healing powers and helped people but never took money for their good deeds. What is especially interesting about them is that there also were “other” Saints Cosmas and Damian: Cosmas and Damian from Arabia and Cosmas and Damian from Rome. This particular religious image depicts Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia.

The 19th-Century Icon of Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia

Cosmas and Damian of Asia were born in the 4th century in a Greek family to a pagan father and a Christian mother who taught her sons medicine. The brothers famously never took payments for their work and preached to those whom they healed.

This type of the icon of Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia started appearing in the pre-Mongolian period of Russian history. Certain features of the given religious work point to the fact that it was painted in the second quarter of the 19th century. This particularly includes the selection of the border scenes, which corresponds to the popular icon painting trends of the time. Distinctive graphic and calligraphy work also support the theory of the icon’s origin.

The image of the two brothers is placed in the centerpiece of the icon: the martyrs are mirroring each other. They are looking at Jesus Christ, whose image is placed above them, reverently gesturing toward the Lord. In this particular icon, each brother is holding a vessel in one hand, but there are also other variants of their iconography, with Cosmas and Damian holding quills. Their vestments are painted in reds, ochres, purples, and greens, referencing the color palette of the rest of the icon. The border scenes surrounding the centerpiece tell the story of the healings the two brothers performed, as well as the miracles that happened after they died.

The given religious icon of Saints Cosmas and Damian was most likely painted in Guslitsy, one of the main religious centers for Old Believers. Many works created by local masters have survived to this day and have become part of many museum and private collections. The Guslitsy style of icon painting was inspired by other iconographic schools, most notably, the icon painting traditions of Palekh, Mstyora, and Kholuy. The influence of the Palekh school is also visible in the composition and color scheme of this specific Guslitsy icon.