Iconography
St-Peter on The Right. St-Paul on the Left.
This is post 2 of 3 in the series “The Right and Left Hand in Iconography” Jonathan Pageau examines the recurrence of left and right hand symbolism in traditional art and how they create a pattern of engagement in the world. Mercy on The Right. Rigor on The Left St-Peter on The Right. St-Paul on…
Continue reading »Designing Icons (pt.6): Faces in Icons
This is post 6 of 9 in the series “Designing Icons” Aidan Hart gives us a full chapter on designing icons from his book “Techniques of Icon and Wall Painting.” Designing Icons (pt.1) Designing Icons (pt.2): Icon Prototypes Designing Icons (pt.3): New Icons Designing Icons (pt.4): Researching Festal Icons Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional…
Continue reading »Mercy on The Right. Rigor on The Left
This is post 1 of 3 in the series “The Right and Left Hand in Iconography” Jonathan Pageau examines the recurrence of left and right hand symbolism in traditional art and how they create a pattern of engagement in the world. Mercy on The Right. Rigor on The Left St-Peter on The Right. St-Paul on…
Continue reading »Marble Revetments
Today I would like to call attention to marble revetments, meaning the decorative marble paneling that clads the lower walls of a Byzantine church. It is impossible to overstate the architectural importance of revetments. In the grander Byzantine churches, the marbles covered most of the interior surface, dominating the visual experience of the church far…
Continue reading »Theophany and What Sacred Art Does
You enter a silent museum. Standing at an appropriate distance, you gaze at a piece of art set against a clinically white wall. The art is lit as to leave no glare or shine and you as the viewer leave no shadow on it. Enough space is allotted all around the art so to be admired without…
Continue reading »The Ass and The Ox in The Nativity Icon
There is no ass or ox in the Biblical narratives of the birth of Christ. Yet, besides the Christ Child himself, the ass and the ox are the most ancient and stable elements in the iconography of the nativity. In fact the earliest example of a nativity known to us contains only the swaddled Christ in the manger flanked by the ox…
Continue reading »TED Talk on Iconography
Lynette Hull, an American iconographer part of the Prosopon School has recently given a twenty minute presentation on Iconography which is part of a TEDx event. TED is a hip technology, education and design non-profit organization that gives conferences and organizes events. It is seen as the leading place to get a glimpse of new burgeoning…
Continue reading »Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional Icon Design
This is post 5 of 9 in the series “Designing Icons” Aidan Hart gives us a full chapter on designing icons from his book “Techniques of Icon and Wall Painting.” Designing Icons (pt.1) Designing Icons (pt.2): Icon Prototypes Designing Icons (pt.3): New Icons Designing Icons (pt.4): Researching Festal Icons Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional…
Continue reading »The Bethlehem Icon Centre
Editorial Note: In the light of recent events in Gaza, I asked Ian Knowles the Director of the Bethlehem Icon Center to introduce us to this wonderful project. In such a desperate political situation, sacred art has been focal point to bring about collaboration between Orthodox, Coptic, Catholic and Syrian Palestinians in the desire to…
Continue reading »Designing a Syrian Orthodox Panagia
I was recently asked by a young student of St-Vladimir’s Seminary to make a Panagia which he wanted to give to his bishop. This student is of Indian background and a Syrian Orthodox. I have always been fascinated by Orthodoxy in India, the stories of St-Thomas, the link with Nestorian Christianity and also their long…
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