Tag: Modern Icons

Coptic Icons

Coptic Icon of Saint Michael
Archangel Ethiopian Icon, C. 19th century

Recently, while teaching an online icon writing class on the Transfiguration, the subject of Coptic icons came up.  Each of us spoke admiringly about them, the color schemes, the simplified human forms, and the fact that they are  attractive in many ways.  But we soon realized that we didn’t really know much about them.

Coptic Ethiopian Icon

So, here I have done some research that I now share, and I hope that many of you  with more knowledge will share your thoughts and Coptic icon images on the FB (American Association of Iconographers FB group) page too.

Here’s what I have been able to discover:

In 30 BC, Egypt became a Roman province, and over the next several years, immigrants from Greece, Rome, Libya, and Syria brought their artmaking traditions  and methods to apply to the  art of this time.  According to tradition, the Coptic Church was founded by Mark the Evangelist c. AD 42, and regards itself as the subject of many prophecies in the Old Testament. The first Christians in Egypt were common people who spoke Egyptian Coptic.

Saint Anthony and Saint Paul the Hermit c. 14th C.

The Church of Alexandria was the first Church of Africa, and through it, the  influence of Coptic art spread to Sudan and Ethiopia. Some forms of the Coptic cross are known as the Ethiopian cross and many Churches in Ethiopia show the influence of the Coptic art.

Coptic Cross
Coptic Cross

The early Coptic icons of the third century Egypt, used encaustic paints and later, influenced by the Byzantine tradition, egg tempera.  The Coptic style favors enlarged eyes, frontal figures, and an under emphasis of natural proportions in figures. The figures of saints display eyes and ears larger in proportion to the rest of the face and a smaller mouth, as well as enlarged heads, signifying a spiritual relationship with God and devotion to prayer. Martyrs’ faces were peaceful. Early Coptic icons were influenced in style of painting by the Egyptian Fayum memorial portraits used on Egyptian sarcophagi.

Fayum Portrait

These Fayum portraits from the Egyptian Sarcophagi were painted in the Greco-Roman style of painting and became the basis of both Coptic and Byzantine iconography. Beautiful portraits, they have simple, graceful forms, and employ a simple color palette, using what we now refer to as the Greek Palette- mixtures of red ochre, yellow ochre, white and black.  Although the same painting style was used on each portrait, artists were able to achieve a great variety of resemblances to the persons being depicted.

John the Baptist Coptic Icon
John the Baptist Before the 19th C.

In 641 Muslims conquered Egypt and made it a province of an Islamic Empire whose capital was Damascus.  The religious history that followed is a complicated mixture of acceptance for Christians, and then later in the 9th century, relations were more difficult. The period from the 7th to 13 century was more promising, allowing for Christian Coptic art to flourish once again and to further develop the Coptic style. There was even something of a Renaissance of Coptic art in the 13th century with many Coptic illustrated manuscripts, much like the illuminated manuscripts of the western Church.

After this, for political reasons, there was a sharp decline in productivity of Coptic Art,until the 18th century  when the West re-discovered the attraction of Coptic Icons.

In today’s world there are several Coptic Iconographers who are continuing to develop the Coptic style of iconography.  I am including here links to Dr. Stephan Rene’s website from which a much more nuanced understanding of Coptic iconography can be found, and two other links that may be useful for a more complete perspective.

Saint Paul Icon, 17th C.

Again, please do add to the FB group page more information or images if you would like to share your experience with Coptic Icons with others. I hope this has inspired you to think about different styles of icon writing and how culture and politics can affect the art of their time.

Dr. Stephan Rene’s Website: https://copticiconography.com/2019/12/24/reflections-on-discipleship-and-coptic-iconography/

UK Coptic Icons. https://www.ukcopticicons.com

Until next month,

My very best wishes for God to continue to bless the work of your hands, 

Always,

Christine Simoneau Hales

https://newchristianicons.com

Macedonian Renaissance

Understanding the development and history of icons is so important to creating icons today, don’t you think?  Icons met the spiritual needs of entire cultures and civilizations through the centuries. In order to reach the people of a specific time period, slightly different approaches and applications in sacred art making were required and evolved.

The Crucifixion Icon 11th Century

For this newsletter, I will focus on what is sometimes called the Macedonian Renaissance.  Sometimes called the second flowering of Byzantium due to its occurrence in the same culture but after the disruption of the period of iconoclasm.  It’s interesting to note the effects of conflicts politics and religion and then trade routes on the development of the art of the icon.

Historical Context for the Macedonian Renaissance

The First flowering of the Byzantine empire began in 330 A.D., when the first Christian ruler of the Roman empire, Constantine the Great, transferred the ancient imperial capital from Rome to the city of Byzantium. Located on the easternmost territory of the European continent, it was a major intersection of east-west trade. Constantine’s conversion to Christianity and legalization of the practice of the Christian faith changed the dynamics of religious art and cultural in a profound way.

Iconoclasm

However, beginning in 726 AD and ending in 843 AD began the period of iconoclastic dispute over the use of images in the Byzantine Culture.  This roughly one hundred year period of iconoclasm, 726-843 AD, is what separated the First flowering of the Byzantine empire from the second.  The Macedonian Renaissance began when the Empress Theodosia reinstituted the practice of icon veneration in 843 AD. Although her husband was in favor of iconoclasm, upon his death, Theodora once again legalized iconography and the use of images in worship.  Now it was not only legal to create icons for veneration, but greatly encouraged. 

It should be noted that during the period of iconoclasm there were several outspoken theologians, especially John of Damascus, whose defense of icons eloquently cleared up the confusion on nuances of veneration vs. worship of holy images.  However, one of the effects of this destructive period was the weakening of the wealth, prestige, and power of monasteries. A central feature of Byzantine culture was Orthodox Christianity. Byzantine society was very religious, and it held certain values in high esteem, including a respect for order and traditional hierarchies.

As you remember, In the Byzantine world, Iconoclasm refers to a theological debate involving both the Byzantine church and state over theological issues as well as economic ones. This controversy spanned roughly a century and resulted in the large scale destruction of icons and monasteries.

Empress Theodora

Icons and religious art resumed only after the successful defense and reinstitution accorded to icons by Empress Theodora in 843. The art of the Macedonian Renaissance carried forward the icon’s classical roots stemming from the Late Roman period, in terms of  decorative and artistic styles. This period produced a shift from the ban on the painting of religious figures to the painting of icons that would reflect the more classical and naturalistic influences of art on the culture. This new style of art may have inspired Italian artists such as Cimabue and Giotto at the dawn of the Italian Renaissance in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century.

A Cultural Shift

The second half of the 9th century saw a lavish program of redecoration of churches, such as the creation of mosaics and icons in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Two main developments helped drive the revival in culture and education in the empire: this was the greater involvement of the church in education, and the other was the concentration of cultural life in Constantinople due to the movement of people from an agricultural culture to city and mercantile life.

Ladder to Heaven Icon, 11th century, Mt. Sinai

Many of the icons on Mt. Sinai are from this period. This new style of painting icons is characterized by a lighter, more pastel color palette.  Iconographers also continued the painterly  quality already established  during the earlier Greco/Roman influenced icons of the early Christian era. However, by the end of the tenth century, the lines become more rigid, and harsh, with a stylized rendition of the folds of garments.  This rigidity carried over into the ethos of icon painting. Now no deviations from pervious icons was to be allowed or considered correct.

It was at this time that the concept of a “prototype” became established.  The divine grace of a new icon was thought to be transmitted by how closely it resembled the earliest icon of that person.  The idea being that “once the image of a saint had been established, that image would be endlessly repeated….“Although the artist was allowed some freedom of expression, detailed requirements for the depiction of the saints has been laid down by the Seventh Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787.  The specifications were fixed from the descriptions in the biographies of  saints and laid out in a book called “The Herminia”, which all icon painters followed.  The idea was that there should be so little deviation in the depiction of the saints that the viewer should be able to recognize the icon without having to read the inscription.  After all, few people of that time could read.”  Laurel Glen, “The Art of the Icon”

Mother of God, Orans. Hagia Sophia. 11th Century

During the Macedonian Renaissance, Icons became more decorative, halos with decorative gilding techniques were added.  A greater attention to detail , borrowed from the illuminated manuscripts, prevailed.  These icons also achieved more of a narrative than the very early icons. A good example of this is the Nativity icon, where the story of Christ’s birth is charmingly told, reading from left to right, and top to bottom of the icon.  (The top icon is from the 16th century, Russia)

At the top are the angels worshipping and then proclaiming the birth of Christ to the shepherds.  Next level down on the left are the three wise men, on the right are the shepherds, in the center is Mary and the Christ child in a cave/stable with a horse and ox amongst them. On the bottom left you find Joseph being tempted to doubt by the devil, and on the bottom right are the women attendants, bathing the Christ child.  Below is another example of the Nativity Icon but from the 11th century:

The subject, figures, and narrative are the same as in the above icon of the Nativity, but in this earlier icon, while the composition is different, the story is recognizable as the same icon but of a later century.

End of An Era

Towards the end of the 12th century, icon painters became influenced not only by illuminated manuscripts, but also by frescos.  This resulted in more saturated colors and more solidity of form.  As icon painters began to spread westward, mosaics became major influencers of style and form.  This heralded the beginning of the end of the second flowering of Byzantium, but also a wonderful period of innovation and beauty in the icon.  As icon painters moved westward, the Greek and Russian painting styles began to emerge. And that story is for another newsletter!

Interesting Links:

Orthodox Church of America: Article on the icon of the Nativity

 Sister Vassa gives a talk (just under 10 minutes) on Iconoclasm:

Icon Boards: St. Elizabeth Icon Studio- Price and size List Also Bob Higgins makes beautiful gessoed icon boards: rahiggins55@gmail.com

That’s all for this month, may God bless the work of your hands,

Christine Hales

New Christian Icons My Dec. 5-8 online icon writing class of the Nativity

Saint Patrick

St Patrick, kidnapped
St Patrick kidnapped into slavery

“He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals His thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth– the LORD God Almighty is His name.” –Amos 4:13

Saint Patrick of Ireland

Saint Patrick Icon

As a young boy, Patrick was kidnapped by brutal pirates and carried away to Ireland where he was sold as a slave.  For the next six years he was a shepherd in Northern Ireland.  This is where he learned to pray. “In a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and at night only slightly fewer.” The Confession of St. Patrick.

“I arise today

in a mighty strength

calling upon the Trinity,

believing in the Three Persons

saying they are One

thanking my creator.”

In the experience of slavery and exile, the young boy  discovered God . In the midst of this terrible alienation brought on  by his exile from family and country, Patrick experienced a deep abiding connection that enabled him to feel strengthened by God.

St. Patrick baptizing the Irish
St. Patrick baptizing the Irish drawing by Christine Hales

He is a legend in Irish history and spirituality.  Patrick’s story of being kidnapped by Irish pirates eventually gave rise to a remarkable inner transformation that led him  eventually to return to Ireland, serving the Irish people by bringing God’s love to them.

Like St. Francis, Patrick chose a lifestyle of poverty, preferring to single-mindedly focus on the Divine connection within.  “For I know full well that poverty and adversity suit me better than riches and delights.”

Saint Patrick Icon

One often sees Icons of St. Patrick holding a shamrock, an illustration of how he used the humble clover leaf to illustrate the Trinity- three in one- to the largely pagan population Ireland.  Pre-Christian Ireland was where God sent Patrick.  His spiritual story is told in “The Confession of St. Patrick”, along with many Scriptural references that relate to his experiences.

Patrick was born in Britain about  385, and began his mission  in Ireland during the early 400’s.He became fluent in the Irish dialect during his period of slavery, and despite much hostility and danger, he was very effective in bringing the Gospel to Ireland.

Saint Patrick founded many churches and monasteries across Ireland.

Saint Patrick Icon
Saint Patrick Icon

Holy Bishop Patrick,

Faithful shepherd of Christ’s royal flock,

You filled Ireland with the radiance of the Gospel:

 The mighty strength of the Trinity!

Now that you stand before the Savior,

Pray that He may preserve us in faith and love!

Icon notes for March:

The American Association of Iconographers now has a Facebook Page which you are welcome to join.  The rules of the page are that postings may be submitted by any member and the content needs to be of interest and benefit to Iconographers.

Video of Iconographer George Kordis beginning a Christ Pantocrator dome:

Blessings and Prayers,

Christine Hales

New Christian Icons

Icon Painting Classes Schedule for 2018

 


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