A gift that leaves its mark
A gift for an important person: a hand-painted icon, elegant and unique
When the person you are giving to really matters (a parent, a mentor, a boss, a benefactor, a distinguished guest) an ordinary object is not enough. You need an important, elegant and refined gift that expresses respect and gratitude and that lasts. A hand-painted sacred icon is one of the most meaningful gifts there is: unique, fully gilded with 23¾ karat gold leaf, and carrying the saint, the name and the dedication chosen for that person.
What to give an important person
A gift for an important person needs three qualities: it must be worthy of the recipient, speak of them and last. Elegant mass-produced gifts (a pen, a watch, a fine bottle) are beautiful, but anyone can have them. A handmade work of art, conceived only for that person, is a gift no one else can give in the same way.
- It is worthy: 23¾ karat gold leaf, a linden multi-ply panel with canvas and gesso, egg tempera with ochres, earths and oxides.
- It speaks of the recipient: the saint of their name, the patron of their city or profession, a dedication on the back.
- It is elegant and restrained: it suits a study, a living room or an institutional seat without ever being out of place.
- It lasts: with the right care it passes through generations.
- It is authentic: a certificate on real parchment, the iconographer's signature and photographs of every stage.
An important gift for a man or a woman
For an important man
The saint of his name, Saint Joseph the guardian, Saint Michael the Archangel or Christ Pantocrator for his study.
For an important woman
The Mother of God of Tenderness or of Vladimir, the Queen of Life, the saint of her name.
For a milestone birthday: 50, 60, 70, 80
The patron saint with the birthday date on the back: an important gift that marks a milestone.
For a wedding anniversary
The Holy Family or a diptych of Christ and the Mother of God, with the wedding dates.
For a graduation or achievement
The patron of the profession: Saint Luke for a doctor, Saint Ivo for a lawyer, Saint Thomas for an architect.
For a retirement
A thank-you for a lifetime of work: the name saint, or the Good Samaritan for someone who cared for others.
A gift for a boss, a mentor, a benefactor
One of the hardest gifts is the one for a boss or a mentor: to thank them, for a birthday, for Christmas, or when they retire or leave the office. It must be elegant but not intrusive, personal but not intimate. An icon of the saint of their name, or of a saint linked to their profession, strikes that balance: it is a gesture of respect, and it can be a collective gift from the office, with everyone's names in the accompanying booklet.
A distinguished precedent: the icons given to John Paul II
For centuries a hand-painted icon has been the gift reserved for the most important people. Lia Galdiolo, the master from whom Concetta Basile learned iconography, personally presented John Paul II with her icon of the Ten Virtues of Mary and, at another audience, with the icon of the Holy Family surmounted by the Rublev Trinity.
The Ten Virtues of Mary
Lia Galdiolo's icon presented to John Paul II.
The Pope's blessing
Lia Galdiolo receives the blessing of John Paul II at the audience where she presented the icon.
The Holy Family with the Trinity
Lia Galdiolo presents John Paul II with the icon of the Holy Family surmounted by the Rublev Trinity.
Icons by Concetta Basile for an important person
Mother of God of Vladimir
The best-loved model of Tenderness, on a gold ground.
Queen of Life
The Mother of God with the scrolls of the Angelus and the Magnificat.
Saint Joseph
Sanctus Josephus, guardian of the family: a gift for a father or grandfather.
Saint Michael the Archangel
Prince of the heavenly hosts.
Christ of the Burning Eye
The watchful Pantocrator.
The Good Samaritan
Mission of Hope and Charity, Palermo, 2022.
How to commission it
Write to Concetta Basile on WhatsApp or Telegram: tell her who the person is, the occasion and what they love. Together you choose the subject, the shape and size of the panel, the Greek or Latin inscriptions and the dedication. An authentic icon takes months of work: for an important date it is wise to plan ahead. Every icon is commissioned with an offering proportionate to the time and materials of the work, and arrives with a certificate of authenticity on real parchment, photographs of every stage and a booklet explaining its meaning.
We also deliver to
- Palermo and Sicily
- Milan and Brianza
- Bergamo, Brescia and Garda
- Venice and Veneto
- Ravenna and Emilia-Romagna
- Turin and Piedmont
- Genoa and Liguria
- Apulia
- Rome
- Vatican
- Tuscany
- Amalfi Coast
- Lake Como
- Trento
- South Tyrol
- Friuli Venezia Giulia
- Switzerland
- New York
- Chicago
- Boston
- Washington DC
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Houston
- Miami & Palm Beach
- Pittsburgh, Cleveland & Detroit
- London
- Germany
- Paris
- Vienna
- Monaco and the French Riviera
- Netherlands
- Greece and Cyprus
- Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria
- Canada
- Latin America
Frequently asked questions
What should I give an important person?
A gift worthy of the recipient, personal and lasting. A hand-painted sacred icon, with the saint of their name and a dedication on the back, is an important, elegant and unique gift: no one else can give one like it.
What is an elegant, refined gift that makes an impression?
A handmade work rather than a branded object. An icon fully gilded with 23¾ karat gold leaf impresses with the light of its gold, the finesse of its details and its meaning.
What important gift can I give a man turning 60, 70 or 80?
The saint of his name or Saint Joseph, with the birthday date on the back of the panel: an important gift that marks the milestone and will one day pass to his children.
What important gift can I give a woman turning 60?
The Mother of God of Tenderness, the Queen of Life or the saint of her name: a refined gift that accompanies the home and prayer.
What should I give a boss who is retiring or leaving?
An icon of the saint of their name or the patron of their profession, commissioned by the whole office: the colleagues' names can be written in the accompanying booklet.
How can I thank an important person elegantly?
With a gift that holds time and care. A hand-painted icon takes months of work, and the dedication on the back turns the thank-you into a lasting memory.
Is an icon suitable for someone who does not practise?
Yes, if they appreciate art and tradition: a fine-art icon is also a work of sacred art with a thousand-year history. For believers it adds the value of prayer.
Can an important gift be given by a group?
Yes: families, colleagues, friends or an association can commission the icon together, and everyone's names can appear in the booklet.
How do I commission a gift for an important person?
By writing to Concetta Basile on WhatsApp or Telegram. Every icon is commissioned with an offering proportionate to the time and materials of the work, and arrives with a certificate of authenticity on real parchment, photographs of every stage and a booklet explaining its meaning.