Iconography: history & theology

1. The beginnings of Christian art: from the catacombs to basilicas.

2. Iconoclastic Controversy.3. The functions of images in

the Church.

Transfiguration. Apse mosaic, St Catherine's Monastery,

Mount Sinai. c. 565/6.

The earliest image of Mary with Christ Child and unidentified Prophet (?). Catacomb of Priscilla, late 2nd (?)-

early 3rd c.

Cryptic art of the catacombs

6 Sinai Christ

Catacomb of Domitilla. Rome. 3rd c.

Good Shepherd.

Catacomb of Domitilla. Rome. 3rd c.

Christ teaching apostles

Catacomb of Domitilla. Rome. 3rd c.

This is Plotinus and his students

And this is…

Church of St Julia, Brescia. Ivory panel. ca. 360-70.

Jesus Raising Lazarus. Via Latina Catacomb, Rome.

This is Jesus too (believe it or not)

Rome, Museo Nazionale Delle Terme, ca. 350.

Christ surrounded by apostles

Basilica of St Pudenziana, Rome, ca. 400.

Youthful Christ

Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, 522-47.

One of the earliest illuminated manuscripts

Communion. Rossano Gospels. 6th c.

Sinai icon compared to the negative of the image on the Shroud of Turin

The Dominant Image in the Byzantine period

Christ Pantokrator. Hagia Sophia, Instanbul, ca. 1185

What did Jesus really look like?

Reasons for the outbreak of iconoclasm

Reaction to the loss of Eastern provinces to the Arabs

Reasons for the outbreak of iconoclasm

Reaction to the loss of Eastern provinces to the Arabs

Impact of Islam upon Emperor Leo III

Dome of Blue Mosque. Istanbul, Turkey.

Emperor’s attempt to break the power of the monastic institutions

Reasons for the outbreak of iconoclasm in the 8th c.

• Emperor’s attempt to break the power of the monastic institutions (Peter Brown)

• Reaction to the loss of the Eastern provinces to the Arabs

• Impact of Islam upon Emperor Leo III

Possible Jewish influences?

                                                                                                  

Binding of Isaac. Floor mosaic. Synagogue of Beth Alpha, c. 518 C.E.

Iconoclastic council in 754

Iconoclasts destroying icons. Chludov Psalter c. 850-75.

S

Partial Iconoclasm (?). Chapel near Trigonian Tower, Thessaloniki, late 11th-early 12th c.

The Cross, after 740. Apse mosaic. St Irene, Istanbul.

The Theotokos and Child (replacing a cross) 787-97 and 11th cent. Apse mosaic. St Sophia, Thessaloniki.

Iconoclastic controversy timeline• 726 Emperor Leo III (717-741) issues a ban on all

religious imagery• 754 Iconoclastic council summoned in Constantinople

under Constantine V, son of Leo III.• 787 Second Council of Nicaea, with the support of the

Empress Irene, defends the use of icons.• 813 Leo V revives iconoclasm, opposed by Theodore

the Studite. • 820 Michael II assassinates Leo V and adopts policy of

toleration• 843 Iconoclastic period ends. Veneration of icons

established under patriarch Theophilus. Empress Theodora promotes the restoration of icons.

Empress Irene. Pala d’Oro. Venice, 10th c.

Christ flanked by Empress Zoe and her (third) husband

John of Damascus (675-749)

• Brought up at the court of the caliph of Damascus

• Resigned his position and entered monastery of St. Sabbas c. 726

• Wrote On the Orthodox Faith

• Defended icons

Functions of Icons in the Church 1: “The Bible for the illiterate”

Functions of Icons in the Church 2:Means of remembrance

Functions of Icons in the Church 3: Theology in Color

Functions of Icons in the Church 4: Windows into the Kingdom of Heaven

Sketch of the Iconostasis of St Seraphim’s Cathedral, Dallas, TX

St Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, Texas

Functions of Icons in the Church:Summary

• “The Bible for the illiterate”• Means of remembrance • Theology in color• Windows into the kingdom of heaven• “Crutches of prayer”

The Christ of the Seven Ecumenical Councils

1: FULL DIVINITY2: FULL HUMANITY

3: UNITY OF DIVINITY AND HUMANITY

4: DISTINCTION OF DIVINITY & HUMANITY

5: UNITY-IN-DISTINCTION

6: DISTINCTION OF WILLS

7: UNITY IN ICONOGRAPHY

Dr. Gavrilyuk’s Iconoclasm Meter

Any candidates for contemp. iconoclasts?

Calvin

Eastern Orthodox

MuslimsJews

AnglicansMethodists

Luther

Roman Catholics

Quakers