Week 2: Examining the Byzantine icon

Introduction

Having established what an icon is, its environment and its function, this week will explore the relationship between Byzantine iconography of a sacred event and Gospel narrative. It is important to note that this discussion assesses sacred events. As described in Week 1, the depiction of sacred persons (e.g., Christ, the Virgin, and the saints) follows an established representation that is directly related to the ‘prototype’, that is, what they looked in real life. This is what makes the holy person(s) identifiable and, in turn, makes their representation sacred (as opposed to idols).

When looking at icons depicting sacred events, it is important to remember that their audience would have been familiar with the Gospels. In the Medieval and Renaissance periods, going to church and attending the liturgy was an essential part of weekly life. The narrative of the Bible and its use in liturgy would have been familiar to the congregation. The priests would have used the surrounding iconography to amplify the message. Another key point to remember is that at that time, the majority of the population was illiterate (they could not read or write). Visualisation of the textual material was therefore a powerful learning tool. In turn, the letters and inscriptions often included in icons helped to consolidate the priests’ important position within their community. The case study you will see in the next section aims to exemplify the relationship between Orthodox iconography and the Bible.