Saint John Climacus
Choosing to become a monk quite early in his life and being a hermit for many years, St. John Climacus is represented as an elderly man with ascetic facial traits, clad in a monastic outer-cassock, the hood frequently covering his head. He is seen frontally, either standing or bust. In early images he may hold a Gospel or a rolled up parchment scroll, while he is blessing with his right hand. Later, the scene becomes more complex and the scroll is depicted open, with visible quotations from his work, the best known being The Ladder of Divine Ascent. Sometimes, a ladder is placed by the Saint's figure as a mean of identification. In more elaborated variants, St. John Climacus is represented while experiencing the vision of the ladder, motif which is inspired by Jacob's ladder representations.
Choosing to become a monk quite early in his life and being a hermit for many years, St. John Climacus is represented as an elderly man with ascetic facial traits, clad in a monastic outer-cassock, the hood frequently covering his head. He is seen frontally, either standing or bust. In early images he may hold a Gospel or a rolled up parchment scroll, while he is blessing with his right hand. Later, the scene becomes more complex and the scroll is depicted open, with visible quotations from his work, the best known being The Ladder of Divine Ascent. Sometimes, a ladder is placed by the Saint's figure as a mean of identification. In more elaborated variants, St. John Climacus is represented while experiencing the vision of the ladder, motif which is inspired by Jacob's ladder representations.
