Iconoclastic Controversy Research Paper

Christian art and iconography began, about two hundred years after the birth of Christ. Western Christian art and religious iconography was based on the classical art styles and imagery by the Ancient Romans. Medieval art iconography began to relate more to text of the Bible. Religious Christian art was created in the form of illuminated manuscripts, mosaics, and fresco paintings adorned churches. The colors of art were generally muted except those used in manuscripts and stained glass windows. Figures varied in sizes in relation their importance. Unlike artists in the Byzantine period who avoided making sculptures at all costs, Romanesque artists made sculptures which were often large, made of stone, and

Shortly after Rome made the transition from pagan practices to embracing Christianity as their formal faith, Christ's depiction in art went through various restorations. Some of the most widely popular illustrations were that of Christ sacrificed on the cross to his ultimate ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven after overcoming death. Since the image portrays Christ in luxurious attire resembling the Roman toga, the viewer can perceive that the mosaic was meant to present Christ in an imperialistic fashion. This is perhaps directed in part to the Byzantine emperors preferring to worship Christ in a way traditional and symbolic of their historical and early customs rather than how he really looked.

At the council, 338 members met to rule on the use of images to depict religious figures and ideas. This assembly, including Emperor Constantine and Leo, rules that “the unlawful art of painting living creatures blasphemed the fundamental doctrine of our salvation—namely, the Incarnation of Christ, and contradicted the six holy synods” (Iconoclastic Council, 1). The Iconoclastic Council bans the use of images and pictures to depict religious ideologies and figures because they feared that worshippers honored the image over the actual person, place, or thing represented. To support their argument, the council recalls the Holy Book in which God states, “Thou shall not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath…They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,…and served the creature more than the Creator” (2). Unlike John, this council uses stronger textual evidence from the Holy Book in order to validate their argument against icons. Furthermore, they argued that “folly” painter constructed the icons to undermine the icons. Council members aimed to demonstrate the icons as evil creations because religious affiliates did not construct them. Nevertheless, the council banned all images, relics, and other representations of

life” (Visual Arts Cork). The Roman Catholics were criticized for having false images of the bible in their artworks and worshipping idols as if they were holy. This decreased the amount of paintings of idol figures from the Protestants Luther stated that anything that one imagines of God apart from Christ is only useless thinking and vain idolatry. “You are not to have no other Gods” (Exodus 20:3).

John of Damascus argued that with the incarnation of Christ, the icons and idols were justified. He led a group of iconophiles who truly believed that whatever honor or worship that was directed at the images or icons passed directly onto whomever that image represented (p 275). There is a page from a Russian Psalter which describes the iconophiles stance. It basically says that to destroy an image of Christ is similar to destroying Christ himself. This led to a huge shift in Western art.

The Byzantine era is the continuation of the Roman Empire and as we, all know they were influenced by the Greeks. Around the 11th century “the clergy began to display icons in hierarchical order Christ, the Theotokos, John the Baptist and other saints” (Kleiner 279). The Virgin and Child Icon is tempera on wood, 30x21 inches. The virgin and her child have been an inseparable part of Russian history and its people. Many Russians claim and believed of miraculous interventions and favors received from the Virgin Mary due the

Icons were religious artifacts of Jesus, Virgin Mary, or the saints. These artifacts were kept in churches and homes. For a while, no one could decide wether artifacts should be banned or not. Pope Gregory believed that icons were good things. During this time frame many could not read. This made it hard for Christian followers to connect with their religion. They were not able to read the bible, so the only way to make a connection was through pictures and sculptures of their holy people. Additionally, stricter Christians were against the idea of icons because they felt that worshipping the icons was like worshipping an idol, or false god. These people who didn't agree with icons were called iconoclasts. These disagreements led to an iconoclastic controversy in 726. Leo III called for all icons in the empire to be destroyed. They smashed paintings and sculptures, no matter how important it was to you. Considerably later, the pope called for all the bishops to meet with him to talk about how he felt that icons were good. They then changed the law due to the fact that not allowing to honor icons was a heresy, an opinion that goes against official church beliefs. They re-wrote the laws specifying that if anyone is to destroy icons again, they will be excommunicated (a free ticket to H E double hockey

The Jewish community started Christianity, but Christianity later spread and convert from all over the Greco-Roman world were attracted by this religion during the progress of the first century CE. Ideas, traditions, ways of worship and traditions were brought along by the new convert of Christianity and it was adopted by their faith. This is through art because Christians who were once pagans of the Roman Empire stick to their artistic heritage when they became followers of Jesus Christ. Roman artistic forms and motifs and also Roman architecture were being used by this new convert to express their new faith. In further explanation, we’ll see how Roman art influenced the developing art of early Christians.

The book The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art reevaluates fundamental pieces of Late Antiquity art, facing off with what author Thomas F. Mathews dubs the “Emperor Mystique,” an inclination to link images of Christ in this period to imperial iconography. In the first chapter, author Thomas Mathews makes a lofty claim: Late Antiquity art blanketed under the Emperor Mystique must be reassessed since art historians have tawdrily abused the theory to oversimplify Jesus’ iconographic identity. The author structures his chapter one argument into three points. First, he criticizes the idea of an unbroken art narrative consisting of a gradual flow from pagan art to Christian art, resulting in the Emperor Mystique mix of imagery as a key transition point. Then, he considers the Emperor Mystique’s prevalence in Late Antiquity. Finally, he moves on to the art historians chiefly responsible for the theory—Ernst Kantorowicz, Andreas

When Christianity was introduced as a successor to Judaism, Roman Empire’s official religion was still Paganism. As a result Christianity was a mystery religion in Roman Empire before it became an official Religion. In this period we do not see any churches, and people used to gather in a secret place in order to pray. These places were like ordinary homes, but they changed inside, so it could be used for religion purposes. A really good example of it is Dura Europos house church. It has a simple architecture, as we can see they even broke the wall inside the house to make it bigger as to serve gatherings. After Constantine declared Christianity as an official religion, everything changed. In this essay I aim to discuss how Roman art became Christian Art. In other words, I will explain how Romans used their art and style as a formula to create art based on Christianity principals.

That "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them" (Exodus 20:4-5 and Deuteronomy 5:9) might, at first glance, be seen as an absolute command or prohibition against worship of any kind of image (A. Fortescue, Veneration of Images, 1910, Volume VII). "For iconoclasts (image-breakers), every image could only be a portrait and a portrait of God was inconceivable in view of God's ineffable and unknowable qualities." Claim that icons were a sacred art was, iconoclasts argued, simply to clothe them in superstition and even

With this art interpretation came a conflict, the Iconoclasts controversy. In which the iconophiles, the group of people lead by the monks who were in favor of the symbolic meaning, and the iconoclasts or the group with the Emperor who insisted on the literal translation of biblical images and the biblical ban against graven images. The iconoclastic controversy lasted from 726 AD, when Emperor Leo III began an attack on the use of religious images, until 843 AD when the Empress Theodora allowed their restoration (Martin).

Religious imagery is something that can be found in artwork all through the centuries. An anonymous world-renowned graffiti artist who goes by ‘Banksy’ places traditional paintings in public places altered to send an iconoclastic message about society and government. In this image he depicts a traditional figure of Jesus dying on the cross, but in his hands can be found shopping bags full of presents and candy. Jesus, an iconic figure in religious history, has been turned into a puppet to fit the mold of our consumer driven society. The rhetor presents an iconoclastic view that the integral commemoration of Jesus’ death and the religious aspects

Unlike Medieval painting, Roman painting does not have a specific scene to show nor a particular doctrine to teach. Some scenes might denote the same theme, but the artist tries to individualize his work by playing with the elements. In Romanesque painting the iconographical demands do not allow artists to illustrate the same icons in different ways. To spread Christianity, the symbols need to remain the same everywhere to make the message easier to understand. In Christ in Majesty the halo is an example of the recurring iconographic element. A halo around someone's head means that the person is a saint. Christ, the evangelists, and the Twelve Apostles have halos to point out their religious significance. Individualization is no longer important on Medieval works because artists focus on the expansion of the Christian message.

The mosaic of Christ being baptized by John the Baptist in the Nea Moni monastery of the Greek island of Chios is a prime example of the goal of Byzantine mosaic art. Although the true artist’s name is unknown, it can be said that this mosaic is from the 11th century, from the period known as Middle Byzantine art. This mosaic features Jesus in the middle of the mosaic, with John on his left baptizing him. Two angels are present to the right of Jesus, watching over the proceedings taking place. Behind John the Baptist, to the left of Jesus Christ, is a group of onlookers, although the mosaicist used the least number of figures possible to successfully portray the group. Mosaic art in the Middle Byzantine period was focused on calling to attention the subject of the piece rather than the piece itself and portraying the spiritual world instead of the physical. First, I will analyze the mosaic I have chosen to be the main piece of art to look at. Second, I will compare and contrast the first piece of art with other pieces of mosaic art from the Byzantine period and from Late Antiquity. Last, I will conclude this paper by recounting my main points and showing how they connect to my claim that Middle Byzantine art was focused on portraying the spiritual world.