John the Evangelist Writing the Gospel – landscape
A schematically rocky landscape is represented against a more or less neutral background, usually the sky. The Evangelist, in the foreground, could be accompanied by his symbol – the Eagle. The character is always depicted as an old man (white-haired with a high forehead and bald, full-bearded and wrinkled), his face turned upward, towards the sky from where the divine inspiration is descending (the skies are opening and the divine inspiration is suggested by descending rays, sometimes God’s hand in a blessing posture is also present)
Most often than not John the Evangelist is accompanied by his disciple, Prohor, represented as a beardless adolescent scribe, putting down his master’s words. Frequently the two characters are sitting at the opening of a cave serving as a scriptorium. The disciple writes at a table and the Evangelist, in front of him, is looking, against his shoulder, towards the sky.
A schematically rocky landscape is represented against a more or less neutral background, usually the sky. The Evangelist, in the foreground, could be accompanied by his symbol – the Eagle. The character is always depicted as an old man (white-haired with a high forehead and bald, full-bearded and wrinkled), his face turned upward, towards the sky from where the divine inspiration is descending (the skies are opening and the divine inspiration is suggested by descending rays, sometimes God’s hand in a blessing posture is also present)
Most often than not John the Evangelist is accompanied by his disciple, Prohor, represented as a beardless adolescent scribe, putting down his master’s words. Frequently the two characters are sitting at the opening of a cave serving as a scriptorium. The disciple writes at a table and the Evangelist, in front of him, is looking, against his shoulder, towards the sky.
