My perspective on Eastern Icon

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UnityofTrinity

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In general, I am an art lover. But ever since I became Catholic, I’ve had a hard time understand and appreciate the beauty of Eastern icons.

Until recently, I’ve had times to think about this art. After meditating on them, I think I’ve been able to understand the difference between western and eastern arts, hence to be able to appreciate them more.

When it come to these art works, immediately I understand the reason why it was so hard for me to understand and admire Eastern icons, because they were not close to human. When you look into a Western depiction of Jesus or Mary or any saints, it seem so human, it seem so close to your heart. It was so easy for me to embrace the beauty of the western art when I was able to look into the eyes of the picture, to relate with them, with their sufferings, joys, and love. Western arts is a reflection of the humanity of Jesus.

On contrary, Eastern icons are much more distanced to me, and to be more specific, when I look into the eyes of these eastern icons, they give me no feelings. But looking closer, I think I finally understand the power of Eastern icons, understand why they are called “Windows of heaven”. The depiction of Jesus in these Eastern arts are distinctive from human and can’t cause any human emotions is because they were never meant to be viewed that way. Icons rather depict and expresses more of the divinity of Jesus.

Since Western arts reflects more of the humanity of Christ, hence we can feel more emotions from his depictions: His birth, His life, and His death all are able to relate to us in some way. Through the humanity depicted in Western art, I am able to relate to His suffering, I am able to feel his nailed feet, and able to feel the lance that pierced through His heart. I am able to touch Him as the Son of Man.

Eastern art on the contrary show me His divinity. Being near an Eastern icon of Christ make me feel so safe, so secured. No, I can’t feel Jesus’ suffering as much as being near a Western painting. Being near to an Eastern icon make me feel lifted up to heaven, I am able to feel the presence of the Divine. As Christ of the West suffered, so Christ of the East resurrected gloriously, sitting at the right hand of God the Father as the Son of God.

I am not an art experts, so I know maybe my interpretations can be wrong. But here are only a few of my opinions, and I would love for your (name removed by moderator)uts in this topic.
 
First problem I see is that Icons are not pieces of art.
 
UnityofTrinity said:
Please pardon my limited vocabulary range. I’m just trying to judge both of them on the basis of art.
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And that is where you are going wrong. Icons should not be judged on the basis of art.

There are very set rules for the writing of an truly Eastern Icon. It is not a piece of art work. It does not conform to the rules set forward for art and should not be judged that way.

It is fine if Icons do not work for you. They are not part of your spirituality. That is fine.

I was just pointing out your error in your judgement of them.
 
ByzCath said:
And that is where you are going wrong. Icons should not be judged on the basis of art.

There are very set rules for the writing of an truly Eastern Icon. It is not a piece of art work. It does not conform to the rules set forward for art and should not be judged that way.

It is fine if Icons do not work for you. They are not part of your spirituality. That is fine.

I was just pointing out your error in your judgement of them.
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Thank you for your correction brothers, and it is true, I am neither an expert historian, a theologian, nor an art critic, so I do not know much about these things, so once again I appreciate your comments.

Nonetheless, these are only my opinions and a little piece of my mind, my perception on these beautiful creations. Maybe I refer them as art due to my limited words, but they are by no means a theological statement, they are simply what I think.

So what are eastern icons to you friar and how have they affected your life?
 
I am a Roman Catholic but I have a deep appreciation for Icons. Also in Catholicism we have many Eastern Rites that are Catholic (i.e the Byzantine Rite, etc.). The Catholic Church teaches and has the same reverence of Icons as does the Orthodox faith.

The issue is that you are viewing Icons as art which they are not (but I can understand that you might think of it as such). An Icon is window to the divine. It is a place where heaven and earth are close. There is a whole prayer ritual (pardon my limited vocabulary) that goes behind creating an Icon and there are many symbolism within an icon from the halo, to the boarder, to the hand gestures etc.
 
UnityofTrinity said:
Thank you for your correction brothers, and it is true, I am neither an expert historian, a theologian, nor an art critic, so I do not know much about these things, so once again I appreciate your comments.

Nonetheless, these are only my opinions and a little piece of my mind, my perception on these beautiful creations. Maybe I refer them as art due to my limited words, but they are by no means a theological statement, they are simply what I think.
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I understand this. You see what you see and use what you know to discuss it. I just wanted to point out that they are not art.
So what are eastern icons to you friar and how have they affected your life?
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For me, they aid me in my prayer and meditation. They are windows into Heaven. They help me to focus on and not be distracted in my prayer.
Labarum said:
I am a Roman Catholic but I have a deep appreciation for Icons. Also in Catholicism we have many Eastern Rites that are Catholic (i.e the Byzantine Rite, etc.). The Catholic Church teaches and has the same reverence of Icons as does the Orthodox faith.

The issue is that you are viewing Icons as art which they are not (but I can understand that you might think of it as such). An Icon is window to the divine. It is a place where heaven and earth are close. There is a whole prayer ritual (pardon my limited vocabulary) that goes behind creating an Icon and there are many symbolism within an icon from the halo, to the boarder, to the hand gestures etc.
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Yes, that is why it is called “writing an Icon” instead of “painting an Icon”.
 
In that Icons look like art, I also had a low appreciation of them. They are difficult to “warm up” to. They aren’t pieces that most people look at the first time and say, “Wow, that’s great art.”

Our priest visited Russia and in one of their Churches he saw the Trinity Icon:

google.com/search?q=trinity+icon&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GWYF_en

He was so enthusiastic about all the Icons that I began to understand that the problem wasn’t with the Icons.

I was the problem. I had to bring my knowledge of Sacred Scripture and then look into the story the Icon was telling.

They are very similar to reading the Gospel by saying a Scriptural rosary.
 
bkayw said:
In that Icons look like art, I also had a low appreciation of them. They are difficult to “warm up” to. They aren’t pieces that most people look at the first time and say, “Wow, that’s great art.”

Our priest visited Russia and in one of their Churches he saw the Trinity Icon:

google.com/search?q=trinity+icon&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GWYF_en

He was so enthusiastic about all the Icons that I began to understand that the problem wasn’t with the Icons.

I was the problem. I had to bring my knowledge of Sacred Scripture and then look into the story the Icon was telling.

They are very similar to reading the Gospel by saying a Scriptural rosary.
Click to expand...
This is why they are written not painted :). sitting in a “jewel box” Byzantine or Orthodox Church is like opening the Bible and reading. One near us does not have one blank space on the walls or ceilings. The Iconographer is old and limited in what she does. But to sit and contemplate is like a foretaste of Heaven.
 
I like Western art. I love Michaelangelo’s Pieta but reflecting on an Icon really brings me to Jesus. One could argue that the West, during Renaissance, used religious imagery as merely subject matter. One could also argue that artists were painting for a commission and not necessarily from inspiration.

I am fascinated by Dali’s Hyper-cubists crucifixion. It makes me think of other possibilities concerning physics and meta-physics. It transcends time and space. Almost fourth dimensional. Its too weird for a church and not something I would but on my wall but it is thought provoking.
 
UnityofTrinity said:
In general, I am an art lover. But ever since I became Catholic, I’ve had a hard time understand and appreciate the beauty of Eastern icons.

Until recently, I’ve had times to think about this art. After meditating on them, I think I’ve been able to understand the difference between western and eastern arts, hence to be able to appreciate them more.

When it come to these art works, immediately I understand the reason why it was so hard for me to understand and admire Eastern icons, because they were not close to human. When you look into a Western depiction of Jesus or Mary or any saints, it seem so human, it seem so close to your heart. It was so easy for me to embrace the beauty of the western art when I was able to look into the eyes of the picture, to relate with them, with their sufferings, joys, and love. Western arts is a reflection of the humanity of Jesus.

On contrary, Eastern icons are much more distanced to me, and to be more specific, when I look into the eyes of these eastern icons, they give me no feelings. But looking closer, I think I finally understand the power of Eastern icons, understand why they are called “Windows of heaven”. The depiction of Jesus in these Eastern arts are distinctive from human and can’t cause any human emotions is because they were never meant to be viewed that way. Icons rather depict and expresses more of the divinity of Jesus.

Since Western arts reflects more of the humanity of Christ, hence we can feel more emotions from his depictions: His birth, His life, and His death all are able to relate to us in some way. Through the humanity depicted in Western art, I am able to relate to His suffering, I am able to feel his nailed feet, and able to feel the lance that pierced through His heart. I am able to touch Him as the Son of Man.

Eastern art on the contrary show me His divinity. Being near an Eastern icon of Christ make me feel so safe, so secured. No, I can’t feel Jesus’ suffering as much as being near a Western painting. Being near to an Eastern icon make me feel lifted up to heaven, I am able to feel the presence of the Divine. As Christ of the West suffered, so Christ of the East resurrected gloriously, sitting at the right hand of God the Father as the Son of God.

I am not an art experts, so I know maybe my interpretations can be wrong. But here are only a few of my opinions, and I would love for your (name removed by moderator)uts in this topic.
Click to expand...
There are icons which depict the tenderness of love, especially between Mary and her Son. Search, for example, the Virgin Eleousa icon.

Personally, while I very much appreciate the Gothic statues of saints, and other medieval stonework, a lot of the stuff from the Renaissance onward is a little too sensational for me (e.g. the ecstasy of St Teresa).
 
The only way to truly appreciate icons is to pray to (with) them.

However, if you want a very beautiful and detailed theology of icons, I highly recommend the little book “Icons: Theology in Color”, by Prince Eugene Trubetskoi (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press).

The main thing to keep in mind, though, is what Brother David said - we approach them as prayers, not works of art.
 
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