This is post 2 of 2 in the series “The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving” In Part 1 of this article, I gave examples of historic Orthodox woodwork decorated with polychrome, and discussed the reasons why this can be effective. Specifically, I compared the visual impact of historic painted and gilded iconostases with modern […]
This is post 1 of 2 in the series “The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving” Among the traditional liturgical arts, one that stands out as being especially healthy and prolific nowadays is decorative woodcarving. Especially in Greece, workshops produce intricately carved church furnishings in impressive quantities. Almost every Greek church the world over […]
I had often wondered if a three dimensional sculpture could be made to act like an icon, leading the viewer to the holy person depicted rather than acting as a self-contained art object. And so I was pleased when I was commissioned to design and carve a two metre (6′-6″) high stone sculpture of the […]