If you are interested in the tradition of iconography, a tradition that has common roots in both East and West, then one studio and workshop you may wish to bookmark for your future reference is Dal Molin Stefano & C. SRL. This particular studio is situated in Italy, originally functioning as a family carpentry business (something relevant to know for a reason we will explain momentarily) spanning over four generations. Their earliest focus was primarily dedicated to architectural needs, but in recent decades their focus shifted toward the production of high quality icon panels and Italianate cross panels in various shapes and sizes, each of which are destined for use in the creation of iconographic images for church or for home. But even beyond this, they have yet grown still further since then.
While they continue to offer those products (including not only the boards themselves I would hasten to note, but also the other supplies required in iconography, products such as gold leaf, egg tempera pigments, brushes, gilding supplies and the like), they also now have an active iconography studio as part of their business, thus enabling them to create and sell authentic, original icons In fact, this business has become a place where iconographers can practice and perfect their craft, the fruits of which are evident from the high quality of their works. 
In this regard, Dal Molin Stefano has become a sort of one-stop shop for iconographic supplies as well as for traditional, hand-painted (or "hand written" if you prefer) icons. They not only offer painted icons for purchase off their website, interested parties may also commission from them custom commissions for whatever your specific iconographic needs or wants are -- and they do it with a skill and excellence that is second to none and at a very reasonable price point. (One might take, for example, the image above, that showcases a detail of an excellent reproduction of Rome's famous Madonna Salus Populi Romani icon famously housed in the Borghese chapel of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.) This is a fantastic service because it means that churches, institutes, even families, can come to Dal Molin Stefano with their specific requests, whether that be a replica of a famous icon, or something personalized to their own particular situation -- for example, a family could commission a custom icon showing their children's patron saints, so on and so forth. The staff at this workshop will work with their customers to develop whatever is in accordance with their needs, from the very most classic icons, to something far more bespoke.
In the future we will dive more directly into specific projects of Dal Molin Stefano, including the aforementioned Salus Populi Romani icon, but for today we simply wish to provide you, our readers, with a general overview of just some of their iconographers' hand-painted commissions to hopefully give you a sense of not only the skill and quality of their work, but also the breadth of their abilities.
In the future we will dive more directly into specific projects of Dal Molin Stefano, including the aforementioned Salus Populi Romani icon, but for today we simply wish to provide you, our readers, with a general overview of just some of their iconographers' hand-painted commissions to hopefully give you a sense of not only the skill and quality of their work, but also the breadth of their abilities.
I. Hand-Painted Iconographic Works
 |
| Christ Among the Powers |
 |
| St. Michael the Archangel |
 |
| Mother of God of Nicopeia |
 |
| Tbe Archangel Gabriel |
 |
| King David |
 |
| A festal icon of the Resurrection |
 |
| A replica of Rublev's famous icon of the Holy Trinity |
 |
| A very touching Madonna and Child |
 |
| Our Lady of Perpetual Help |
 |
| Our Lady of Fatima |
 |
| St. Michael the Archangel |
As noted, the workshop/studio also produces iconographic crosses, especially those founded in the Italian tradition. Here are just two examples:
 |
| Replica of the Giunta Pisano's crucifix of San Domenico |
Lest you think that more is not possible, here too is an example of one of the iconographic Stations of the Cross that their studio created in collaboration with Laura and Giovanna Raffa for a monastery in the United States which included not only the creation of the iconography itself, but also the beautiful carved frames for each of the Stations.
* * *
So as not to lose sight of this other aspect of their business, particularly for practicing (or aspiring) iconographers and liturgical artists who may be reading this, we will finish off today's general survey with just some of the wooden panels and other raw materials that can be procured from Dal Molin Stefano for those less interested in buying/commissioning icons as they are interested in practicing the craft for themselves.
 |
| An Italianate crucifix panel, ready to paint |
 |
| Prepared icon panels |
If you are after something a little more gothic in style, Dal Molin Stefano also offers these as well, including an example of Arabesque influenced Venetian gothic.
 |
| Raw icon panels in gothic forms still in preparation |
 |
| Pigments |
 |
| Gold leaf |
-------
Do you like Liturgical Arts Journal's original content? You can help support LAJ in its mission and vision to promote beauty in Catholic worship either by:
You choose the amount! Your support makes all the difference.
