This painting depicts Saints Cosmas and Damian, who were twin brothers and early Christian martyrs. They were born in Arabia and practiced medicine without charging for their services, which earned them the title of "Anargyroi" or "Unmercenary Physicians." The year 303 is significant because it was during the time of the Diocletian persecution of Christians, and Saints Cosmas and Damian refused to renounce their faith, leading to their martyrdom. The painting, done in tempera, a type of paint consisting of pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder medium, would have been a common medium for religious artworks during that time period.
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This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This photographic reproduction is considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted.
Source
Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian. Tempera painting.
Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian. Tempera painting.
