Hi I have always wondered who painted the beautiful icons that are part of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Thank you.
2007-02-13 09:30:01 · 5 answers · asked by wcarolinew 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To Tomas, I know it was a man. I was wondering who. Was it a Russian?
2007-02-13 09:34:15 · update #1
Profound question. Actually, the Orthodox say that ikons are "written" - not painted or drawn. They are "windows into heaven" - and are Holy - given by inspiration, just like the Word of God - to the individual artist.
There are schools of Byzantine ikonography that go back centuries - one ikonographer teaching the next and the next and the next....
Tradition says that St. Luke himself wrote the first ikon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos....
2007-02-13 09:35:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
What kind of Eastern Orthodox Church? Greek or Russian? There are Greek icons and Russian icons.
Icons are not just "done". Only certain people could create them: one had to fast for several days first, be in a state of Grace, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive the Eucharist. Certain rules had to be adhered to: certain colors symbolize certain things...for example, gold always represents glory; red symbolizes humanity and blue, divinity. Other necessities....Jesus' halo can never be obscured by anyone else's but his can obscure other halos; a person seated always represents enthronement. The symbolism is very deep and very rich. One does not just "look" at an icon for it is believed that they truly bring forth a sacred Presence. One stands reverently before an icon, says a brief prayer and then bows reverently....NOT before the icon itself but WHO it represents. Icons are meant to help us to enter into the mystery that is being revealed.
2007-02-13 17:44:41 · answer #2 · answered by The Carmelite 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Orthodox believe that the first icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary were painted by Luke the Evangelist. Much more information is found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church under "icons".
2007-02-13 17:36:06 · answer #3 · answered by urbanbard7 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
These are some very good answers. I only have one more thing to add. The artist never signs or indicates in any way who "wrote" the icon. The icon is not supposed to bring glory to the artist, but to God.
2007-02-13 17:49:34 · answer #4 · answered by infinity 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
man
2007-02-13 17:32:34 · answer #5 · answered by Tomas T 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋