In the Christian church, picturesque images of the Mother of God, Jesus Christ and various saints are called icons. These are sacred items. They serve for the religious honoring of deities. During prayer, the feelings and thoughts of believers are certainly directed to the images on the icons.
Such images are an indispensable accessory of the Orthodox or Roman Church, and are also present in the homes of believing Christians. Icons are created using iconography. What does this concept mean? What are the types of iconography and varieties? Let's try to understand this issue.
Definition of concept
What is iconography? This word comes from two concepts - "image" and "I write." In the visual arts, this term includes a strictly established system for depicting certain plot scenes and characters.
Iconography is a set of rules that are associated with a religious cult. Their use helps the artist to identify scenes or characters. At the same time, there is an agreement on a certain technological concept andimage principles.
In the art history of iconography, the description and systematization of schemes, as well as typological features in the process of depicting scenes or characters, are distinguished. In addition, such a system considers a set of plots and images that are typical for a direction in art or for any era.
Iconography in modern science
Previously, this concept referred, as a rule, to Christian art. Currently, iconography is a term that covers all human pictorial activity, from rock paintings made in prehistoric times to modern images.
What is the main characteristic of iconography? These are the two most important points, which are contained in the repeatability of the features of the prototype, as well as in the preservation of the same semantic content when repeating the drawing.
As a rule, the concept of "iconography" is considered in the context of religious images, as well as official secular art. It is in these directions that the elements of the image have a semantic and symbolic meaning.
Iconographic type
What is meant by this concept? The iconographic type, or canon, is designed not only to capture the recognizable and characteristic features of a given character, but also to express the features inherent in his inner image. At the same time, the viewer should be informed about the significance of this person in history or in a religious system. In other words, the iconographic type is intended to indicate what underliesveneration of the depicted saint or public figure.
Such a system is necessarily based on the real appearance. But at the same time, in most cases, she idealizes the image. It is worth noting that the iconography of a historical person, a mythological character or an individual saint also forms various types of this direction.
Picture scenes
The iconography of events is characterized by a certain schematism. Sometimes such imaging systems are stable. In this case, they are called iconographic renditions.
One and the same event, which may be, for example, the plot of the gospel story, sometimes has several accepted versions of its image at once.
Changes in iconographic images are caused not only by changes in the stylistic or artistic features of the era, but also by the authors' reference to different literary sources.
Medieval artists had sample books. They contained a brief description of the typical features that the characters possess, as well as diagrams for depicting plot compositions. All this allowed the painters to convey traditional iconographic canons without the slightest error.
Ritual actions
Christian iconography is involved not only in the creation of images. It is also used for rituals. For example, Christian culture has a developed iconography of prayer processions. In antiquity, it served to create the image of a military triumph. The word "iconography" in the secular sacratized cultused at the coronation of the king or during the organization of the imperial funeral.
System Development
Iconography, as a rule, is associated with church rites and worship. Indeed, it is in these areas that the application of strict rules and the regulation of the form are those necessary conditions that allow the transmission of content without errors and arbitrary interpretation.
At the same time, iconography is a system that objectively reflects the course of cultural and historical processes. It has an inextricable link both with the plot outline and with the images, poetics and style characteristic of a particular era. In this regard, despite their stability, iconographic schemes have a certain mobility. They develop thanks to the multifaceted connections of artistic images with various spheres of culture, as well as with political and social history.
Of course, the great importance that iconography had in religion and in the official ceremonial of Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt allowed it to become one of the constituent parts of the art not only of these states, but of the entire Ancient World.
Iconography in Orthodoxy
Fine art in the Christian tradition has reached such an unprecedented height for the reason that at the heart of this teaching is the need for the incarnation of God's Word, witnessed by His image. Iconography has become an important area of Orthodox art also because of the importance of recognizing Christ. In addition, the church has always been of the opinion that the icon should have a dogmaticthe authenticity of the image, which is in accordance with the sacred text. At the same time, the meaning of the image is revealed and refined by the church in the course of its sermons.
Theoretical basis of iconography
The Holy Fathers steadily fought the iconoclastic heresy. For this they created the doctrine of the image. It was the theoretical basis of Orthodox iconography. According to him, all images must certainly be correlated with the texts of the Bible, works of hymnography, worship, homiletics and hagiography. This was the reason for the immutability of some of the iconographic schemes that came to us in an unchanged state from the early Christian time. However, on the other hand, the emergence of a new direction in pictorial forms was also noted. Such dynamics was a kind of response to existing theological problems.
Church architecture
In what other area is the concept of "iconography" used? This word in modern science is also used to describe church architecture. Iconography is inseparable from architecture. This concept is applicable to the architectural patterns of buildings, as well as those of their elements that have historical or sacred significance.
Sacred units are also understood as iconography. For example, "the measure of the Holy Sepulcher." Iconography is capable of endowing architectural monuments with a certain symbolic meaning. And if we observe a steady repetition of certain typological features, then here we can not talk about a tribute to artistic traditions. This is a kind of approach thatallows you to create a fairly meaningful image of the structure.
Art History
In this area, iconography is a scientific direction. Her main subject of research is the motifs and themes of fine art.
In this context, iconography is used to interpret the plot, symbols and figures. This method was developed in the middle of the 19th century. Scientists from Russia, Great Britain, Germany and France began to use it in order to solve problems in the study of medieval art.
With the help of iconography, it becomes possible to explore the direct relationship between text and image.
By the middle of the second half of the 19th century. this direction began to be considered the main discipline of Christian antiquities, which is based on the church-historical approach and descriptive principles of image classification.
In Russia, the iconographic method has received a powerful development thanks to the works of F. I. Buslaev. Being engaged in the study of ancient manuscripts decorated with miniatures, he came to the conclusion that there are some deep connections between words and images. Moreover, they are a specific feature of medieval culture. Buslaev saw the features of the icon in its content. According to the researcher, church art is an immense illustration of the Holy Scriptures. He noticed the stylistic unity of the monuments of fine arts and literature created in the same era.
Iconography when writing the faces of Saints
The word "icon" has Greek roots. Translated from this language, it means "portrait" or "image". During the period whenin Byzantium, the formation of Christian art took place, this word was used to refer to any image of the Mother of God, the Savior, the Holy Angel and the events of Sacred History. Moreover, this was regardless of whether this painting was easel, monumental or sculptural.
Currently, the word "icon" is pronounced in relation to the image to which believers turn with their request. Moreover, it can be mosaic, carved or painted. In this sense, this word began to be used by art historians, as well as archaeologists.
When we come to church, we also distinguish between the mural and the picture written on the blackboard.
The emergence of the Christian image
There are many scientific hypotheses about the appearance of a certain pattern in the writing of the faces of the Saints. Moreover, these theories are quite contradictory. However, the Orthodox Church has an unequivocal answer to this question. She claims that the sacred image is a consequence of the Incarnation. It is based on it, which is the essence of Christianity itself.
Since the emergence of the Orthodox faith, the icon is considered an object that cannot be changed. This view was reinforced by the strict rules of its writing, called the canon. They were first formed in Byzantium in the 11th-12th centuries, and after that they were adopted in Russia.
From the point of view of Christian teaching, the icon is a special kind of self-disclosure and self-expression of the Orthodox direction, revealed by the Councils and SaintsFathers.
The canon adopted by the church consolidated and fixed some features of the images of the Deities that separated them from the earthly world.
To this end, in Orthodox iconography, artists adhered to the following rules:
- The figures were depicted motionless (static).
- The iconography of the saints emphasized the unearthly beginning in their faces.
- The conventions of color and reflection of images on a gold background were respected.
Over the years, art has been enriched with new content. The iconography of icons also gradually changed. Her schemes are constantly becoming more complicated. A creative direction began to be present in iconographic art. Artists began to interpret traditional religious scenes more freely. All this has led to the fact that iconographic images have become not so strictly regulated in their execution.
Images of Christ
It is known that in the iconography the Savior is called the Savior. His image is central in Orthodox fine art. The first masters who laid the foundations of Christian icon painting sought to comprehend and also describe the Lord.
Today we can say that the iconography of Jesus Christ is filled with symbolism. However, it is very diverse. The desire of the masters to present the Divine image in the form of an incomprehensible supreme essence caused many interpretations. Jesus was both the good shepherd and the Judge, the king of the Jews and the youth.
According to legend, the first icon of Christ was his miraculous image. It appeared on the fabric, which the Son of Godwiped his face. This icon miraculously healed King Avgar Ostroena, who was ill with leprosy. Subsequently, this face formed the basis of the iconography of Jesus, in particular, the Savior Not Made by Hands.
The most ancient icon that has survived to this day was a painting painted in the 6th century, which is now kept in the Egyptian Sinai monastery.
There is a special direction in the iconography of Christ. It is an allegorical image, especially popular in the earliest stages of the development of Christianity. The most famous of them is the Shepherd and the Lamb. Sometimes you can find images of the Savior in the form of a pelican. In those days, it was claimed that this bird feeds the chicks with its own flesh, and this symbolizes the sacrifice. In ancient paintings, you can also find the image of a dolphin. In its literal interpretation, it means "saving the drowning", which means human souls.
Russian iconography of Christ took shape in the 11th-12th centuries. It was expressed in two main types of image:
- The Holy Savior. In this case, the master placed the face of Jesus on a gold or white background.
- Christ Pantocrator. This image stood at the center of the Christological cycle. This group of icons is represented by the Savior on the Throne, the Savior in Power, the Soul Savior, the Psychososter, the Elemon (Merciful) and some other images. In this case, the Lord was depicted by the masters sitting on a throne, shoulder-length, waist-high or tall. In his left hand he held a Gospel or scroll. The right one was bent for a blessing gesture. Around the head of the Savior was a cross halo. This speci althe element is considered obligatory in the iconography of Christ. As well as the combination of red and blue clothes.
In general, Orthodox iconography contains more than ten directions of images of Jesus. One of them is an image in adolescence (type of "Savior Emmanuel"). On some icons, Christ appears to the viewer as a gray-haired old man. This is his image of the Old Denmi. The Passion Cycle is considered a special direction. This includes the icons "Crucifixion" and "The Entombment", as well as "Don't Cry Mene Mati" and "Descent into Hell". Some images represent the audience of Christ in the angelic rank. They affirm his heavenly Divine essence. This, for example, is the icon "Angel Good Silence".
The iconography of the resurrection reflects the traditional Orthodox teaching about the descent of the Lord into hell, about His victory over death and the resurrection of the dead, whom He brings out of hell.
Images of the Mother of God
The image of the Mother of God reveals to believers the depth of the Divine-human relationship. The Virgin Mary became the mother of God. That is, the Mother of God. She gave the Savior life in human nature. This motherhood is supernatural. After all, it also notes an inexplicable sacrament that preserved Her virginity. The veneration of the Mother of God is connected with this.
The appearance of the Mother of God is known to us from her most ancient images. In addition, there are descriptions about her left by church historians.
The iconography of the Mother of God provides for her image in certain clothes. First of all, the icon painters dress the Virgin Mary in maforium. This is a wide outerwear, which, when unfolded,forms a circle. In the middle of the maphorium there is a round slot for the head. Its edges near the neck are sheathed with a narrow or wide border. The maforium was always worn over a tunic. It was slightly below the knee in length. A tunic is an undershirt that reaches to the floor. In the iconography of the Mother of God, this garment is always blue. This color is considered a symbol of virgin purity. However, it is quite rare for a tunic to come in different shades - dark green or dark blue.
Women of that time always covered their heads. This is taken into account in the iconography of the Virgin. On the head of the Virgin Mary, we always see a light cap (plat), covering and picking up her hair. It has a cover over it. This piece of clothing, like the maphorium, is round. It has a slit for the face. The length of the bedspread is up to the elbows.
In the iconography of the Mother of God, such a veil has dark red tones. Such a reception is a reminder of the royal origin of the Virgin Mary and the suffering that she had to endure. In addition, the red color of the veil indicates that the Son of God borrowed His blood and flesh from the Mother of God. The edges of the boards are trimmed with gold fringe or edging. This color is a sign of the glorification of the Virgin Mary. It is considered a symbol of Her presence in the Divine light, as well as Her participation in the glory of Jesus Christ and the grace of the Holy Spirit, which poured out on the Blessed One at the moment of conception.
Sometimes the clothes of the Virgin are depicted in gold. This technique symbolizes the grace of God. Sometimes icon painters dress the Virgin Mary in blue maforium.
The indispensable accessory of the head cover of the Virgin -three stars. They symbolize Her Ever-Virginity. The fact that she is a Virgin at the moment of the conception of the Lord, his birth, and also remains so after the birth of the Divine Son. In addition, three stars also symbolize the Holy Trinity.
The first icons of the Mother of God are believed to have been created by the Evangelist Luke. The most ancient images of the Virgin Mary belong to the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Their researchers found in the Roman catacombs. Most often, the Mother of God is represented sitting with the Infant Jesus in her arms. In the iconography of the Virgin on the throne, many researchers see such a type of image as Hodegetria.
Another of the most common images of the Virgin Mary is Eleusa, or Tenderness. This type of iconography is not found before the 10th century.
The scheme of the Mother of God Oranta has found its place in the painting of churches. In iconography, she is known as the Sign. A similar type of icon is the All-Merciful. On them, the Mother of God sits on a throne and holds the Christ Child on her knees. Quite rarely, the Virgin Mary is depicted without the Son of God. This type of icons is called Deesis. On them you can see the image of the Virgin, standing in a prayer pose.
