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Byzantine Icon

Introduction

Icons, eikones in Greek, are the sacred images symbolizing the Christ and

narrative scenes of the crucifixion of Christ, saints, and the Virgin. In the modern world,

the term is associated with the wooden panel painting. In the Byzantium icons, they were

crafted in various media such as ivory, marble, ceramic, precious metal, gemstone, fresco,

textile, and mosaic (Karlin 23).

Function and form of Icons

Icons had different functions and forms. They ranged in size from the

monumental to miniature. Miniature Icons were suspended around necks as pendants

while other like the “triptychs” had sides’ panels that could be opened or closed in

activating the icon. Some icons were mounted on frames or poles hence could be carried

in battles. Alternatively, some icons were of the permanent character such as mosaic

images decorated in churches. In the Byzantine theology, icon contemplation allowed

viewers to communicate directly with each sacred figure represented; hence individual

prayers were addressed directly to the individual petitioned holy figure or saint. Good

fortune and miraculous healings were part of the requests (Evans 9).
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Icons not Made by the human hand or “the Acheiropoitea”

Some icons, Acheiropoitea, were considered not made the human hands, but

through divine agency. The category was also known as the miraculously created icon or

image, and was given special veneration in the history of Byzantium. Majority of

Acheiropoitea icons originated in Early Byzantine time frame, prior to an advent of the

Iconoclasm in the eighth century.

A mother figure represents central worship object in several religions, image of

the Child and Virgin in Egyptian represented Isis nursing or taking care of his son Horus.

The history of Jesus Christ, son Virgin Mary is dependent on texts from Gospels.

The Theotokos, Greek terminology for The Virgin Mary, was one of the most important

Byzantine religious figures. She was venerated as the protector of Constantinople and as

a mediator between Christ and mankind suffering (Jaroslav 35).

The great Icon of Virgin Hodegetria

By twelfth century, the Virgin Hodegetria or “the guide”, wooden panel image,

was considered to be a miraculous creation from the Saint Luke; an evangelist. In the

composition, a Virgin cradles child Christ in the left while pointing at him using her right

hand (Nelson 14).

The Virgin Hodegetria is actually one of the most famous or all-time popular

Byzantine icons. The image was copied various places in Byzantium using different

media. The image’s original wooden paneled icon from Saint Luke was kept in the

Hodegon Monastery at the Constantinople, the place or foundation that was known for its

sacred springs that cured the blind. The Hodegetria image was enormously both popular
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in East and Western Europe; the image had enormous impacts on Christ and Virgin

representatives in Western Europe in the Renaissance and Middle Ages. The

Netherlandish art or painting in earlier times adopted the Child and Virgin, inspiration of

Dieric Bouts, this reveals the influence of the Byzantine illustrations of the Theotokos.

Virgin’s image in the twelfth-century, “Throne of Wisdom”, in the central France in

which Child Christ is presented as the sum of all divine wisdom, is one of the Byzantium

icons. The Greater Western Europe experienced extraordinary growth of the icon cult of

the Virgin in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries through the inspirations of theological

writings of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux; he acknowledged her as the bride from the Song

of Songs in the Bible’s Old Testament. These led to the Virgin being worshiped as the

Bride of Christ, Intercessor for the Salvation of Humankind, Queen of Heaven, and

Personification of Church; this was evident in French Cathedrals (Vassilaki 80).

A later type of the Virgin Hodegetria was transformed into the Virgin Eleousa.

This was represented the compassionate side or nature of the Virgin. This image shows

her with cheek to cheek contact with her child that reciprocates on her affection through

placing his arm across her neck.

Artistic Description

The icon discerns the high spirituality and internality that inspires the viewer. The

bust of the Virgin Mary is portrayed in between the golden color background of the

polished icon. The Virgin Mary is depicted about three-quarter turning to the left; the two

upper sides portray the archangels Michael and Gabriel with reverent inclination. The

Virgin Mary is seen holding the Christ in her left hand and the right one showing to the

observer or viewer her Son as the only way to Salvation. The icon is known as the
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Hodegetria since the Virgin Mary leads encouraging people to salvation. The Virgin’s

benevolent fixed look at believers is impressive. Mother of Christ depicted wearing deep

red maphorion integrated with gold details.

The key features of this remarkable work of the Byzantine art include the balance

of the composition, the color harmony depicted in the bright and lively tones of the

orange clothing of Christ, and the full expression of power in the form of the Virgin

Mary. The hagiographer monk, Father Luke, in the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos

located on Mount Athoshas faithfully depicted the style of Macedonian School. The

product took long hours and arduous work to come with the unique handmade

hagiography.

Conclusion

From the Hodegetria also developed other derived icons versions for example

the Panagia Eleousa, that is the Virgin of Tender Mercy where the Virgin still shows the

Christ, but baby is nuzzling the Virgin’s cheek slightly inclined towards the Christ;

famous versions include Theotokos of St. Theodore and the Theotokos of Vladimir.

Works Cited

Evans, C.H. Byzantium: Power and Faith. New York: The Metropolitan Museum, 2004.

Jaroslav, P. Byzantine: Apologia for Icons. Washington DC: The National Gallery of Art,

2007.

Karlin, P. "Iconoclasm." Karlin, P. Iconoclasm. New York: Oxford University Press,

2010. 152-63.
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Nelson, R.S. (ed.), Holy Image, Hallowed Ground. Icons from Sinai Los Angeles.

Routledge, 2006.

Vassilaki, M., (ed.) Mother of God. Representations of the Virgin in Byzantine Art.

Athens: Peeters Publishers, 2000.