From canon to failed
The word "canon" in Greek literally means "reed". In antiquity from the cane, the dimensional sticks were made, which were used for earthworks. Over time, this word began to denote the norm, measure, standard. In the iconography, Canon finally approved and took shape after the era of the iconocruise. The definition of the canonity of the image is given by the Rule of the Fisc and Sixth Cathedral. 82 The rule marked the transition from early Christian characters to the symbolic realism of the Eastern Christian iconographic canon.
For canonical icons are characteristic:
1. The underlined image conventionality. It is not so much the subject itself as the idea of \u200b\u200bthe subject; Everything is subordinate to the disclosure of the inner meaning. Portrait features of the saints depicted can be very conditional. The icon-painted canon is focused on a generalized, symbolic image in which individual traits are barely outlined - just so that the image be recognizes to make it swept away from the total host. The canonical requirements of Russian iconography also refers to the absence of sensual, carnal attractiveness in Orthodox icons.
2. The principle of the image of space. The icon is characterized by a reverse perspective, where the point of the departure is not located in the depth of the art plane on the imaginary line of the horizon, and in the upcoming pre-icon of the person - the idea of \u200b\u200bstrengthening the world of Horine in our world, the world of Dolia. In the reverse perspective, the removable items increase in the amount, while in reality, i.e. In a direct perspective, they decrease.
Using the reverse perspective, the solution of one of the most complex problems of the initial stage of art of Jesus prayer is substantially facilitated - the mad connection with the heart. There are two fundamentally different forms of visual perception. The first of them is the usual perception, which is that the eye axes focus in one perceived point. A typical example of such perception is to read the printed text. The second form is panoramic perception. Unlike discrete, it is a solid perception of the entire visual field. With this perception, the voltage with focused eyes is removed.
Observation of the relationship of visual and cardiac activity reveals that heart perception corresponds to a relaxed state of the eyes.
The geometry of the reverse perspective in the icon sets the vision of the panoramic perception, its diverging axes lead the eyes into a relaxed state, as a result of the icon is perceived by the heart.
3. No external light source. The light comes from the faces and figures, from the depths of them, as a symbol of holiness. The transfigured world of the icon does not have an external light source, everything is filled with inland glow. The background in it is always smooth in color and light, so it excludes the illusion of perspectives and does not arouse the feelings of space. The word "background" translates from Greek as "light", he symbolizes the light of the spiritual world.
4. The color is not a means of coloring the icon, it bears a symbolic function. For example, a red color on the icons of martyrs can symbolize sacrifices for the sake of Christ, and on other icons is the color of royal dignity.
5. The icon is characterized by a one-time image: all events occur immediately. On the Icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord, we see both Christ rising with students in the mountain, and the gentlemen transformed, and students of the fallen "on their faces" (Matt. 17.6), and their same descending from the mountain. To eliminate the sense of movement, which is associated with a sense of time, the composition of the icon is most often built static. If the movement cannot be excluded, then it is depicted unreal.
Each mental sense of a person is connected with any representation. physical world, whose foundation leaves time, movement and space. If these categories are excluded from the icon composition, it is transformed into a very conventional representation that does not arouse the feelings of the reality of the world and related spiritual feelings. The icon written in the canon is a spiritual world, while the character of his image in the icon facilitates the process of immersing consciousness into it. Canonical icon has no random details, decorations devoid of semantic meaning.
Icon, regardless of whether it is or new, may be called Orthodox only if from the point of view of composition and artistic performance satisfies dogmatic-canonical, historical and iconographic requirements.
Leonid Denisov, Spiritual writer and church figure of the first half of the twentieth century, in the article "What are the requirements of the Orthodox icon?" The following signs of the Orthodox icon-painted canon leads:
1. loyalty to compositions inherited from Christian antiquity, if they do not enter into any other Orthodox dogmatic and canonical regulations;
2. Compliance with church historical and archaeological instructions in relation to the image of buildings, costumes and utensils;
3. Preservation of ethnographic (in the types of persons) and geographic (in the landscape) of the peculiarities of this area and the epoch;
4. An accurate and steady image of well-known symbolic signs, the presence of which to some extent testifies to Orthodoxy icons.
Consider the details of the iconography of the Mother of God. The image of Our Lady, adopted as canonical in Orthodox art, we see already in the VI - VII centuries in Sinai icons, in the mosaics of Rome and Raisal. For the Orthodox Image of Our Lady are characterized by certain colors of clothes - red mafelius and blue lower robe. These are the clothes of Our Lady on all icons (with rare exceptions), and their colors symbolize the United Nations in it, her earthly nature and heavenly vocation. An important detail of the robe of the Virgin - instructions (viorants). The instructions are the detail of the versions of the priests on the icons. This is a symbol of serving the Mother of God (and in her face - the whole church) the high priest Christ. On the brow and shoulders of the Virgin, the Three Golden Stars are depicted as a sign that the Virgin Mary drew the girl before Christmas, in christmas and after Christmas.
There are five major types of images of the Mother of God: "Oranta" ("Praying"), "Odigitria" ("Guide"), "Elyus" ("Demolation"), "Panach" ("Wizard") and "Agiospurs" ("Intercession "). All the variety of existing icons of Our Lady is reduced to these five main types.
Let's consider whether these requirements satisfy those new icons that are so actively distributed in the Orthodox environment.
Specialist in the iconography priest Boris Mikhailov in the article "Iconography sensitively reacts to the state of church consciousness", published in the newspaper "Church Bulletin", notes that many new icons Blessed Virgin Mary Do not reflect the entire depth of Orthodox theology and, at the same time, testify to the unchurvenism of some modern icon painters.
So, B. last years Widely distributed in Russia pseudoicon "Resurrect Russia". The reason for writing this image was the vision of a resident of the city of Pyatigorsk Olga Pavlenko. In accordance with the vision, on the image of a woman in a white robe, in which the fans of pseudoons are offered to see the Most Holy Mother of God, scatters crosses. Little creatures depicted below are different to these flying cross. Some take them and enlighten them, others run away in horror, and the third - turn into dark lumps.
On a leaf, the central figure is depicted in white clothes, which is completely uncharacteristic for the Orthodox iconography of Our Lady. On the contrary, in the occult sects such an image is found quite often. It is enough to recall the times of the "White Brotherhood" when the street pillars were "decorated with" posters with a picture of a woman in a white balachon with the inscription "Maria Devi Christ".
Some Hieromona Cornelius in the brochure "On Miraculous icon The Most Holy Theotokos resurrecting Russia "claims:" The Pokrov of the Mother of God is the Virgination of the Cross, for that for the Lord Cross, for the Mother Mother - Pokrov "? "" Resurrecting Russia "- the transformation of the Virgin", - another "theological discovery" of Hieromonach Cornilius. What it is - does not intelligible to explain no one. But it is notended to remember that one of the names of the "The Mother Original Center" - "Church of God of the Mother of the Transforming", which was officially registered in June 1991. It is not surprising that this image is popular with representatives of the Bogorodnikov sects.
According to the teachings of the sectarians, from a person (in the vision of O. N. Pavlenko, now the "clergyman of the church") comes to some energy that the sectarians call the "wonderful light radiation". This energy is symbolized by the baptists abandoned down. She, in accordance with the "vision" of Pavlenko, is healing for those people who take cross (these people are blossomed), and the same energy (after all, cannot simultaneously expire and dead water from one source) is destructive for the rest. In one of the anonymous brochures dedicated to the pseudoikon "Rising Rus" says that: "Who did not accept the cross, was like a cockroach," who shied or ran away from the cross, visiblely squandered in growth, Chernell, turning into a bunch of abominations. " And such a "icon", on which a person - the image and similarity of God is represented as a "bunch of abominations" require declare Orthodox and canonical.
All this not only contradicts the teachings of the Orthodox Church about the Mother of God, but is a terrible blasphemy. It is impossible to even assume that something that (according to the accumulator of the Akathista, in honor of the pseudoikon G. Andrianova, can come from the Virgin in principle, whether he can "bored" a person, be it the first sinner. The sectarians, therefore, instead of the glorification of the Queen of Heaven, they take Hulu on her. The image itself is false in relation to the Most Holy Virgin. That radiation, which they speak in the "Akathist", there is radiation of lies.
In the barber circles, there is a rooted prejudice that the demons cannot be in the appearance of the Blessed Virgin, because, allegedly, the Lord himself forbade it to make it unclean. However, the saint of Ignatius Bryanchaninov in the work "On dreams" says: "The demons succeeded in conceit, they begin to appear in the form of angels of light, in the form of martyrs and reverend, even in the form of the Mother of God and Christ himself, their residences are pleased, they promise heavenly crowns, they recover At the height of self-conceived and pride. "
Olga Pavlenko is so-called. "People's Healer", and in fact, just an extrasensus covering Orthodoxy. The vision of the "saints" who commanded "treat people", Institute of Alternative Medicine, Ya. Halperin, international healers' sets, "Space charge" for a set of energy, collective "prayers for Russia" against the background of meditations, "Exile demons" from people - all this Obviously, she led O. Pavlenko to the new, "Orthodox" seductions, to "Special ministry" at the "Virgin".
One of the arguments given by the sectarians in favor of the miraculousness of the liar is its peacefulness, and the "miracles" exhibit. But turn to the creations of the Holy Fathers, is there always the wonderfulness of the Divine origin? The Lord himself said warned about the danger of seduction of false miracles: "Falchryrs and false prophets will rise, and give great signs and miracles to make sure, if possible, and selected." (MF.24.24). The saint of Ignatius Bryanchaninov in his work "On Miracles and Signs" writes: "Nearby and carnation wise, seeing these UDOKS, do not stop at all for reflection: they will immediately take them on the affinity of their spirit with the spirit of them, according to their blindness, recognize and confess the action of Satan The greatest manifestation of the power of God. (...) There are no goodies that miracles do not have any good, reasonable goal, no meaning that they are alien to truth, falsified that they are a monstrous, unstone, deprived of meaning Acting, increasing surprise, bring in bewilderment and self-safeness, Send, deceive, captivate the charm of a luxurious, empty, stupid effect. "
It is so meaningless, ridiculous "miracles" and occur on prayers to the pseudo-icon "Rising Russia". For an Orthodox person, references to miracles, prophecy and peacecakes cannot be the only criterion of truth, since diverse unusual phenomena also occur at the sectarians, and the magicians and the pagans. In Buryatia, there is a statue of Buddha, sourcing milk, and the "Bogorodnikov" has a peaceful statue.
For fans of a leafy criterion for the truth of those or other "miracles" serves a joyful, enthusiastic feeling experienced at the same time. According to the same holy fathers, this is a sign of an adorable state. "Reject the joy of humility coming by the joy, but you will not find it." (Pallet 7:57) "Do not compose to yourself enthusiasm, do not lead to the movement of your nerves, not to warm up yourself with a substance flame, your blood flame. The victim is pleasant to God - humility of the heart, the crushing of the Spirit. God is distracted by God from the victim, brought with arrogance, with proud opinion about himself, at least this sacrifice was a burnt offering "(Svet. Ignatius Bryanchaninov" On Love to God "). Falchhood usually seeks to attract attention to false lzheudesses.
If the image, called "Resurrecting Russia", sometimes takes a certain similarity of the canonical icon (only because the iconography of the Mother of God is taken as the basis), then such images like "giving giving", "autocrat", "Yako Orly Wings", with The Orthodox canon has nothing to do. At the same time, the last in the circle of their zealous admirers are called "royal" or "monarchical". Prior to that, all the icons were considered simply Orthodox, now they, apparently, began to share along the party sign. Once there are icons "Tsarist", which means that in the near future, it is possible to expect the appearance of the icons of "aristocratic", "intellectual" and "working - peasant" ... All these images remain alien to the Orthodox iconographic canon.
In labor L.A. Auspensky "Theology icon of the Orthodox Church" We read: "The icon-painted canon is a well-known principle, allowing to judge whether this image is an icon or not. It establishes the compliance of the icon of the Sacred Scripture and determines what is the correspondence, that is, the authenticity of the transfer of divine revelation in historical reality In the way, which we call symbolic realism. The main criterion for the image is its liturgicality. The criterion of liturgicality is inseparable from the truth of the awareness of the Savior of the Savior.
In the image, called the "giving giving" we see the Mother of God in the bishop closure with the Eucharistic bowl in his hands - that is, it appears here as a priest, or rather the "bishi". The image of the god of Savaof, which we see in the upper part of the composition, is also uncannical, and was rejected at the Greater Moscow Cathedral of 1665. The self-king "icon" resembles a Catholic image of the living Trinity in the form of God the Father as an elder, the God of Son as Christ and the Holy Spirit in the form of a pigeon. The Mother of God occupied the place of this "Trinity" the place of Christ, that is like to God and is represented as a kind of "goddess". This is a real heresy in the spirit of the "Virgin Center". The Mother of God displaced Christ (and this is a Marionitian heresy, exposed by John Damascus).
In addition, the realism with which this image is made are not characteristic of Orthodox icons. The sense of space in the perception of the surrounding world in humans is very acute. The name of the Lord awakens the spiritual feelings that have an ultra-thin character, therefore, to realize them, it is necessary to preliminarily eliminate the coarse mental feelings that arise in the perception of sensual painting.
If the artist builds a realistic composition according to the laws of direct perspective, then the look focuses and the heart perception stops. Such perception gives a scope of figurative thinking, fantasies in search of bright mental experiences, and this is already an unmanaged emery of passion. Prayer in this case will only awaken, and strengthen passion, leading to the spiritual charm.
A question may arise, how to be with the famous churches of the type icons " Inadequate joy"Or" Azov ", which are also performed in a picturesque manner and space in which almost illusory? On this occasion, the famous theologians Leonid Asspensky wrote the following: "As for the" pictorial style, ", how can the church image, not expressing the teachings of the Church, an image that does not carry the" disclosure of life in Christ ", and how, in The power of his miracle, he becomes acceptable to express "Christian truths in Orthodoxy" and becomes one level with the image that expresses them? Such an image, if, of course, in its iconographic plot, it does not contain a contradiction of Orthodox fault, that is, it does not recently, can serve as a basis for the emergence of a new type of canonical icon (provided, of course, the authenticity of the miracle), that is, to be incerector. " (L. Asspensky. Theology icons of the Orthodox Church. - M., 1989, p. 410.)
Images referred to as the icons of the Mother of God "Autocrat" and "Yako Orly Wings" are very similar to each other. On both the Virgin appears on the background of a double-headed eagle. This image is also not new, it is borrowed from the occult kababalistic symbolism. The main criterion for which the admirers of these images refer them to the number of Orthodox, is the abundance of the wondering from them outgoing. So, for example, according to the admirer Pseudo-icon "Yako Orel Wings", Irina Davydova, when this pseudo-icon was carried by the congestion in Moscow, then it was miracles, shelled from the persecutors, had heard and enlightened. So I want to add - and even showed focuses. As mentioned earlier for true Orthodox abundance of miracles, this is just another reason to think about their source.
Both Icons were written at the end of the XIX century by an unknown artist commissioned by Prince Shakhovsky and until recently were in the temple, who were located on the territory of the prince of Shakhovsky (the Temple of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the village of Vermilovo Stupinsky district of the Moscow region). Then - by order of adolescent - they were removed, and the crucifixion was installed on their place.
On the icon, the "autocratic" Virgin is depicted in the royal apparel with the crown on the head, sacrificing against the background of a double-headed eagle, surrounded by the saints.
The admirers of the icons give a fairly free interpretation of the plot icons: "The Mother of God claims the royal throne, thereby showing that true Orthodoxy is possible only with autocratic power. In the Mother of the Mother's belt in the form of a cross - this shows an indication of this and we are cutting for the king-father. Rainbow at the top - many worlds, reconciling God with a man. Despite the fact that the icon is written in a realistic manner, it still seems to consider it necessary to consider it through understanding of the symbols. " (Irina Davydova. "Stone shrines"). Complicated allegory is usually introduced into the language of painting mystical teachings and sects, the Orthodox consciousness of excessively allegorization is definitely perceived as a sophistication profanation.
But, if the icon is violated canons, then, at best, it becomes a picturesque work on a religious topic that arouses mental feelings. But for orthodox Christian Any spiritual feelings are the form of manifestation of passions with which the constant struggle should be held.
Much controversy is also called iconography of new martyrs, and in particular royal martyrs. Their worship is growing everywhere, they are replicated in a variety of their icons, but, unfortunately, in most - with violations of icon painting canons. Especially a lot of nines cause icons on which the martyr's king is named as because the direct naming of it on the icons of the "Redeemer" is an incompletent heresy. For Orthodox Christians, the Redeemer may be one - the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Calval Cross, all our sins are redeemed, all lawlessness knew, so we can not go about the redemption of sins of deaths.
It is quite fair that a person sincerely considers the emperor "Redeemer", can not be a Christian, for therefore he believes that the case of the Lord was unsuccessful and therefore needed supplement. Calvary could not save the Russian people, and God needed another victim, which he accepted in the face of the king. " This means that "a person can be saved by a man, and Christ becomes clearly unnecessary.
Images of these low artistic level, sometimes even repellent ugly. Consider for example, one of such icons of the Holy Martyr Tsarevich Alexy. First, this image is realistic, you can even say naturally that it is very unacceptable for orthodox icon. In an ancient tradition, the status of the icon for worship and reverence is absorbed by the written image, first of all, not through portrait similarity, but through the inscription of the saints.
Naturally written hands look especially written. This is a man's hands clearly old age. Lick Cesarevich also causes bewilderment if this grimace with a strange half jelly can be called a face at all. The iconographic canon is focused on a generalized image, in which the portrait similarity is simply transformed by cutting off random features and bringing to the unity of cathedral holiness features. In the face of the saints, the image of the god like. The saints who have reached the kingdom of heaven got rid of passions and vices, therefore, they express them complete impassivity, peace and serenity. In the face of the holy icon painter, seeks to capture primarily that he is, though that from flesh, is insignificant. More Dionysius Areopagitis said that the sacred images should be similar to the similarity and disabilities. Similarity in order. so that it was recognized; Nightness in order to emphasize that this is likeness, as if allegory, but not a mirror image.
"Icon is not a portrait, but a mode of coming temple mankind. And since this mankind we do not yet see in the current sinful people, but only guess - the icon can serve only a symbolic image. What does the released physicity mean in this image? This is a sharply pronounced denial of the very biologist, which builds the saturation of the flesh to the highest and unconditional commandment. " (Prince E.N. Trubetskaya. Three essays about the Russian icon. - Novosibirsk, 1991. - p.16.)
The appearance of Cesarevich on the specified icon does not fit into Orthodox canons. Semi-cough, in no way going to the appearance of the Orthodox Saint, apparently borrowed from Catholic images. "There is no metaphysical tragedy in Catholic icons. There is a tragedy of earthly, spiritual human experiences. And most often, the other is human sensuality, what is drawn to the Earth and belongs to the Earth. This spiritual sensuality and sentimentality of the Catholic icons is perceived by the subconscious of a person as an opportunity for reconciliation with God without repentance, without changing itself. The smiling expression of the icon acts as the absence of a sinner, as a capitulation and conciliation with sin.
The face and hands of the icon painter, as a rule, discharges with special care, because they carry a large semantic load. In this case, they are indicated by the non-the uninfused character of the image.
The most dogmatically faithful is the version of the iconography of royal martyrs, proposed by O.V. Gubareva. Tsarist family Depicted against the background of the Feodor state of the Cathedral in the royal village. In the center of the composition, on a golden background, which marks the light of Heavenly Jerusalem, there is a sovereign with a cross in hand, in royal clothes and in the mantle. On his head his monomacha hat. Place him as a general chapter - in the center of the icons and above others. The fingers of his right hand, given the peculiarity of the royal ministry, are folded in a decent blessing. From two sides of the sovereign - members of his family, in royal clothes, in martyr's raincoats and with crosses. At the queen, as a crowned together with Nikolai II for the kingdom, on the head of the crown. At princess - heads covered with scarves, from which hair is visible. The second plan in icons is usually symbolic, so the figure of Nicholas II is inscribed in the image of the temple - (so often Christ is depicted on icons), because any king is a way his kingdom. The temple is the image of the bodily chramine of the sovereign, mystically absorbing the entire Cathedral of the subjects, for which he suffered and is now praying in heaven. The Feodorovsky Cathedral was built by the state truck for his funds, he was the prayer temple of his family and in the architectural plan embodied the representation of Nicholas II on Holy Russia and the Cathedral statehood, to revive which he sought. This very naturally fits into the artistic symbolic structure of the icon. Many architectural details and two extension openings on the sides of the sides: the bell tower and the porch of the royal entrance - help to emphasize the compound of all the coming sovereign in the central figure. He stands along the axis of the temple dome, as the chapter of all, on the elevation, symbolizing the throne: both royal and sacrificial. A small chapter next to the officer's entrance, which exists in the manner of Tsarevich Alexey, becomes a sign allocating him as the heir to the throne. This image, of course, may not be the only one, but is presented here as an example canonically faithful.
A completely separate group is non-canonical icons of non-canonized saints (Grigory Rasputin, John of Grozny, Metropolitan John Snychev, Fr. Nikolai Guryanova and even Igor Talkova).
These icons can be performed in a different manner - more or less "pseudo-plant". One thing unites them - the plots do not have anything in common with Orthodoxy, because, as we have said, canonism and hierarchy are two grounds of Orthodoxy. The icons are referred to as Orthodox, if "they do not enter into any other Orthodox dogmatics and canonical regulations."
The most weighty argument in defense of their icons, their admirers consider the abundance of miracles from them. But the miracle is not best way Sermons. "The church does not live in what is transient and individually, but by what is invariably. Is it because the miracles have never been a criterion for her in any of the areas of her life, and this life never equal to them? And it is not by chance that the Cathedral Resolutions prescribe writing icons, based on not miraculous images (because the miraculiarization of the icon is more and temporary, and not constant manifestation), and so, as the ancient icon painters wrote, that is, on the icon-painted canon. This, we emphasize, belongs to the Orthodox canonical image, that is, to the full expression of the "secrets of the house building of God about the salvation of people." (L. Suspensky. Theology icons of the Orthodox Church. - M., 1989, pp. 410)
God is looking for love of a person, arbitrary, and not forced, at least miracles, following him. False, on the contrary, usually seeks to attract attention to false lzheudesses. Therefore, in this case, many wonderful phenomena indicate that the author is the prince of darkness, and their writing of such images and reverence is blasphemy and anti-skewed effect.
As the saint of Ignatius Bryanchanin writes, "the signs of false were deliberates and expired from it ... people ... Having lost humility, which recognizing themselves unworthy not only to make signs, but also to see them, waiting for miracles more than ever. Humans in self-election, self-election, ugly seek unchebery, recklessly, boldly to all wonderful ... We are approaching gradually by the time in which the extensive shadow of numerous and striking false miracles should be opened, to pass into the destruction of those unfortunate pets of the carnal wisdom, which will be seduced and Deceived by these wonders "(Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov. Conversation" On Miracles and Signs ").
"What is the icon painting canon and what is the icon painter"
Icon is written according to the special rules that are mandatory for the icon painter. A combination of certain techniques of icon painting on which an image is built on an icon board is called icon painting canon. "Canon" - the word Greek, it means: "Rule", "Merilo", in a narrow sense is a construction tool, a plumb, which is tested by the vertical of the walls; In a wide range of the sample, according to which something newly created is checked.
Vision gives a person almost 80% of the information about the world around. And therefore, aware of the importance of painting for the holy business of gospel, already in the early Christian church began to appear attempts to create their own sacred language from the surrounding pagan and Jewish world.
The iconographic rules were created for a long period of time not only by icon painters, or, as previously spoke, Items, but also the fathers of the Church. These rules, especially those related not to the technique of fulfillment, and to the theology of the image, were convincing arguments in the struggle of the church against numerous heresies. Arguments, of course, in lines and paints.
In 691, the plane-sixth, or Trill, the cathedral, named because, was held in the Hall of the Imperial Palace - Trillum. At this cathedral, important additions were made to the decisions of the Cathedral of the Fifth and Sixth, as well as some, very significant for the formation of Orthodox iconography, the ruling.
In the rules of 73rd, the 82nd and 100th church begins the production of canons, which become a kind of shield against penetration into the orthodox icon of the visual heresy.
And the seventh Ecumenical Cathedral, held in 787, approved the dogma of the iconotability, identified the place and role of sacred images in the liturgical churcher practice. Thus, it can be said that the entire Church of Christ, the entire Cathedral Mind, participated in the development of canonical iconographic rules.
The canon for the icon painter was the same as the liturgical charter for the clergyman. Continuing the service charter for the priest. Continuing this comparison, it can be said that the serviceman for the Items becomes icon painter.
The icon-painted script is a set of specific rules and recommendations, leaning how to write an icon, and the main attention is paid not to theory, but practices.
Obviously, the very first installed samples for imitation existed already in the initial period of the formation of canonical iconography. One of the earliest, which have reached the present time of icon-painted scripts, which is based, of course, are even earlier, it is considered written in Greek passage from "antiquities church history Roman's ulpetia about the outdoor form of governoking fathers ", dated 993 year. It contains verbal descriptions of the most famous fathers of the church. Here is, for example, the description of St. John of Zlatoust:" John Antioch growth is very small, the head on his shoulders had a big, extremely thin. The nose had a long, nostrils wide, pale-yellow face color, the eyes are wound, large, at the time of the silence, the forehead, outdoor and large, sprinkled with many wrinkles, big ears, a small, very rare, decorated with a gray beard. "
There are originals that, in addition to purely verbal descriptions, contain the picturesque images of the saints. They are called facial. Here it is necessary to recall the "Menologies of Emperor Vasily II", compiled at the end of the 15th century. The book, in addition to the saints of saints, contains 430 non-ferrous miniatures, which served as authoritative samples for icon painters.
Facial script, or as it is also called - sample, Honior, spread in the environment icon painters in various editions. You can call "Stroganovsky" and "Bolshakovsky original", "Guryanovsky", "Siyi" and others. The book, compiled in the XVIII century by the Hieromonach and painter by Dioniscius Fournyagrofiot, called "Erminia, or instruction in picturesque art", was widely fame.
So, the Isograph worked in a rather hard canonical framework. But did not the canon appear with something with a reproaching icon painter hindering him? Such a question is most characteristic of people familiar with the history of fine art, because social art history is exactly the problem: the canon is a brake, the exemption from it is the creative freedom of expression of the artist: from the "Sicstinian Madonna" Rafael to "Black Square" Malevich.
One of the modern researchers Icons, Academician Raushenbach, very emotionally and figuratively expressed his opinion on what was the rejection of any canonical framework in visual arts: "... Medieval art in many ways above the art of revival. I believe that Revival was not only a move forward, it is confidential and with losses. Abstract art is a full decline. The top for me is the icon of the XV century ... From the point of view of psychology, I can explain this: medieval art appeals to mind, the art of the new time and revival - To feelings, and abstract - to the subconscious. This is an explicit movement from a person to a monkey. "
It is for this way that the iconography of the Western Roman Church went. On the path of the destruction of the canon, along the path of admirement by bodily, emotional beauty - that beauty, against which the 100th rule of the Trulle Cathedral was directed against the 100th rule: "Your eyes are dirty, and with all kind of keeping your heart, hangs wisdom: for bodily feeling is convenient Make your impressions in the soul. Therefore, an image on disks or other than represented, charming eyesight, disconnecting the mind and the inflammation of unclean pleasures, do not allow any way of drawing in any way of drawing. "
According to Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin) - the author of an interesting essay "On the language of the Orthodox Icon", Canon - "This is a centuries-old precious experience of the whole Eastern Church, the experience of spiritual vision and transformation of it in the visual image. Canon does not shine icon painter, but gives him freedom. From What? From the doubt, from the danger of the gap between the content and the form, from what we would call the "lie on the saint". Canon gives freedom of form itself ... "
It was previously mentioned that for previous generations, which lived in the Orthodox environment, the language of the icons was quite available, because the language of this is only clear for people who know the Sacred Scripture, the cyanocution of worship and participating in the sacraments. The modern man, especially recently came to the church, to achieve much more difficult. The difficulty lies also in the fact that since the XVIII century, the canonical icon is supplanted by the icons of the so-called "academic" letters - in fact, paintings on religious topics. This style of iconography, which is characteristic of the frank admission of the beauty of the forms, the underlined decorativeness and pomp decoration of the Icon Board, came to Russia from the Catholic West and received special development in the postpeople time, in the synodal period of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.
This period began with the special decree of Peter I, in which he abolished the Patriarchate in Russia, and the manager of all the affairs of the Russian Orthodox church appointed an official - an Ober-Prosecutor, who was headed by the Holy Synod. Restored the patriarchy was only on Loan Cathedral 1917-1918.
Of course, the political and economic reorientation of the whole life of the Russian state, which was actively launched by Peter and supported by the subsequent rulers, could not but affect the spiritual life of all sectors of society. Taped it and iconography.
At present, despite the fact that modern icon painters will revive the traditions of the ancient Russian letters, in many churches for the most part you can see images in the "academic" style.
In any case, the icon is always a shrine, in whatever pictorial manner it would be done. The main thing is that the degree of responsibility of the icon painter has always been felt before which he depicts: the image should be worthy of the prime.
"Encyclopedia of the Orthodox Icons. Basics of theology icons."
D.obry day, dear our visitors!
- I have a family, by profession, I restorer, on the blessing of the bishop, lead the icon-painted and restoration workshop. At the very beginning of its path, icon-painted and church, he wrote the icon of the Savior, turned to the right. She is sanctified, how to be with her, because this is the image of the Lord? I am thinking now, can the laity in general write (after preparation)? I write icons in the Byzantine style, due to the protection of the canons began the indignation of the abbot. Help, father! Is this not pride?
Reply to Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin):
- It is necessary to be prepared for the iconography as a sacrament - the satisfying post and abstinence from the marital intimacy. It is necessary to strictly hold the installed icon-painted canon (despite a variety of secondary schools in various iconographic schools). The harder canon, the more spiritual training is required from the icon painter. When writing, the icons should have a sample adopted by the Church, and not rely on its imagination. Now there is no time to "scatter stones" or "collect stones", but to keep carefully what we have. If you have a desire, then look at my brochure "On Icon Language". Specifically, I can't say anything about the icon written by you, without seeing her. Store church tradition, including icon-painted traditions - not pride, but debt. Help you Lord.
- I read your articles about icons and iconography. I agree with you in everything. But the icons written not strictly canonically, which are now very much in orthodox churches, do they carry heavenly grace?
- There are revered icons written not in icon painting, but in a picturesque style, so I can not deny them. However, there are icons contradictory orthodox tradition, for example, the icon of the Holy Trinity, which was depicted in the form of an oak with three heads on three branches. This icon of the Don Cossacks wanted to prevent Empress Catherine II. Sometimes the struggle with icons written not in the canonical tradition, took the form of excesses. For example, Patriarch Nikon collected such icons, threw on the ground and littered with his feet, and then burned them. I think that since the icon is consecrated and is located in the temple, then the Lord can give grace through it. But canonical icon deeper reflects the spirit and mystical vision of the Orthodox Church, so it is important for the icon painter to abide by the church canons and the requirements for the icon painter itself.
- How does an Orthodox tradition look at women icon painters? If negatively, why?
- Already in antiquity there were women icon painters, mainly in the monasteries. In the V-VI centuries. In Jerusalem was Georgian convent Kapala, where the nuns were engaged in clarifying books, richly illustrated by miniatures, each of which was a small icon. However, personally, I do not know the case in the ancient church, when the woman wrote the frescoes on the walls of the temple and the altar. It is possible that this was due to the fact that the woman should not be in the altar, and writing on the wall, climbing the stairs, it was considered uncomfortable for a woman.
- In our arrival, the priest announced that the custom of portraying on the icons of God the Father was wrong, for no one saw him. How do you feel about such icons?
"The Holy Spirit either also saw the sideline, but it is depicted on icons in the form of a pigeon. Nobody saw the holy Trinity either, but it is written in the form of three angels, as she appeared to righteous Abraham. The image of the God Father in the form of an elder is a symbolic image similar to how the seven Arrunics of God are symbolically depicted with their attributes. Unfortunately, lately Our contemporaries appear the desire to find irregularities in the Orthodox tradition, which took the form of a disease, similar to itching, not giving peace.
- You write: "The Holy Spirit either also saw the sideline, but it is depicted on icons in the form of a pigeon. Nobody saw the Holy Trinity either, but it is written in the form of three angels ... "But so, probably, therefore they write that they saw them in such images. The image on the icons of the Holy Trinity of God's Father in the form of an elder in Orthodoxy penetrated from the West, since it is not found on ancient eastern icons as well as known. Although in Revelation there is a vision of God's Father in the form of an old man, "Old Days", St. John Damaskin says: "We do not depict the Lord Father because we do not see him if we saw it, they would have portrayed." Please explain.
- The rule of the VI of the Ecumenical Cathedral prohibits symbolically to portray Jesus Christ in the form of a lamb, as Christ accepted human nature: he saw him, heard images written by students remained. The language of the icons is conditional, and in each icon there is a combination of a mimetic (naturalistic) and symbolic and, at the same time, the icon belongs to the realities of the future transformation. But there is a symbolic image, where the person is shown through the image of its properties. This is perfectly written in St. Doniania Areopagitis in the book "On the Heavenly Hierarchy". As for your words "penetrated from the West", this is a theoretical assumption, since the East is not in geographical, and in a religious sense includes the Balkans, where the ancient icons of the Holy Trinity are preserved.
As for the words of Rev. John Damaskina, they mean that no one saw God and depict him as they depict the Son's God, that is, mimetically, it is impossible; However, this is not a prohibition to portray symbolically what is impossible to see. The Icon of the Holy Trinity, where three hatches are depicted, has the Byzantine origin. The West and East were a single church for many centuries, and therefore the ancient legend of the Western Church is not anti-glood. If in the eastern church actually exist icons with the image of the god of the Father as "old days", then, it means they are chosen. You can find a number of miraculous and penny icons, the prototype of which is taken from the West. However, it is not accepted separately to write the image of God's god in the east, why - I do not know, maybe in order to avoid the danger of the wrong presentation of the division of the saint triences, as three separate deities. I urge God's blessing to you.
Anyone who begins to consider the icons, unwittingly wonders about the content of ancient images, why for several centuries the same plot remains almost unchanged and easily recognizable. The answer to these questions will help to find us an iconography, a strictly installed image system of any characters and religious plots. As the servants of the church say, Iconography is the "ABC of Church Art".
Iconography includes a large number of plots taken from the Old and New Bible Testaments, theological Works, Liordy Literature, religious poetry on the topics of the main Christian dogmas, that is canons.
The iconographic canon is the criterion of the truth of the image, the correspondence of its text and the meaning of the "Holy Scriptures".
Mon-draft traditions, the repeatability of the compositions of religious plots led to the development of such sustainable schemes. The iconographic canons, as they were called in Russia - "Izers", reflected not only the generally Christian traditions, but also local peculiarities inherent in those or other art schools.
The constancy in the image of religious plots, in the immutability of ideas that can be expressed only in the appropriate form, the secret of the canon lies. With the help of it, the symbolism of the icon was fixed, which in turn facilitated work on its visual and meaningful side.
Canonical foundations covered everything expressive means icons. In the composite scheme, signs and attributes inherent in the icon of one or another type were recorded. So, gold and white color symbolized Divine, heavenly light. Usually they were celebrated by Christ, the forces of heaven, and sometimes the Virgin. Green designated globe blossom, blue - heavenly sphere, Purple was used for the image of the clothes of Our Lady, and the red color of Christ's clothing indicated his victory over.
The main characters of religious painting are the Virgin, Christ, Forerunner, Apostles, Prophets, Praws and others. Images are outlined, backed, waist and complete growth.
The image of Our Lady was used by special love of the iconographic. There are more than two hundred types of iconographic images of the Mother of Mother, the so-called "origins". They have names: Odihythria, Elyus, Oranta, sign and others. The most common type of image is odiritria (guide), (Fig. 1). This is a waist image of Our Lady with Christ in the hands. They are depicted in frontal reversal, closely looking at the praying. Christ rests on the left hand of Mary, she holds his right hand in front of the breast, as if pointing to her on his son. In turn, Christ with his right hand blesses praying, and in his left hand he holds a paper scroll. Icons with the image of Our Lady are customary to call on the place where they first appeared or where they were particularly revered. For example, the icons of Vladimir, Smolenskaya, Iverskaya, Kazan, Georgian and so on are widely known.
Another, no less well-known view is the image of the Mother of God called Elyus (lunizing). A characteristic example of the Icons of the type of Elyus is the well-known and beloved by all the believers Vladimirskaya Virgin. Icon is an image of Mary with a baby in his arms. In the whole look, the Mother of God feels maternal love and full spiritual unity with Jesus. This is expressed in the slope of Mary's head and in the gentle touch of Jesus to the cheek of the mother (Fig. 2).
Impressive the image of Our Lady, known as Oranta (prayer chair). In this case, it is depicted without Jesus, with abreast-up hands, which means "the upcoming God", (Fig. 3). Sometimes, oranges are placed on the breast "Circle of Glory", in which Christ depicts in infant age. In this case, the icon is called "Great Panagia" (all-in). A similar icon, but in the belt image it is customary to call the Mother of God-sign (embodiment). Here the disk with the image of Christ refers to the earthly creature of the Bohell (Fig. 4).
Images of Christ are more conservative than the images of Our Lady. Most often, Christ is depicted in the form of a pant -rator (almighty). It is depicted frontally, or explained, or in full growth. At the same time, his fingers right, raised, hands are folded in a blessing blessing gesture. The addition of fingers, which is called "named" is also found. It is formed by crossed medium and thumb, as well as retractive motherhood, syrigates the initials of the name of Christ. In his left hand, he holds an open or closed gospel (Fig. 5).
Another most common way is "saved on the throne" and "saved in the forces" (Fig. 6).
Icon called "Savior Independent" is one of the oldest, where the iconographic image of Christ is depicted. The image is based on belief about the fingerprint of the face of Christ on the towel - Development. Savior Independent in ancient times, he was depicted not only on icons, but also on banners-horugeti, which Russian warriors were taken into battles (Fig. 7).
Another member of Christ is his image in full growth with a blessing gesture of the right hand and the Gospel in the left - Savior (Fig. 8). Often you can see the image of the Almighty in the clothes of the Byzantine Emperor, which is customary called "king king", meaning that he king of all kings (Fig. 9).
Interesting information about the nature of clothes and closures in which the characters of the icons are dressed. From the point of view of art, the clothing of icon-painted characters is very expressive. As a rule, it is built on Byzantine motifs. Each image has clothes, characteristic and inherent only to him. So, the clothes of Our Lady are Mafori, Tunic and Cepec. Mafory - bedspread, envelops his head, shoulders and descends down to the floor. It has a decoration in the form of a border. The dark cherry color of the Maforia means a great and royal genus. Mafori dresses on the tunic - a long dress with sleeves and ornaments on the collaps ("" violants "). The tunic is painted in dark blue, which symbolizes chastity and celestial purity. Sometimes, the Mother of God appears in the clothes not Byzantine Empress, but the Russians of the XVII century.
On the head of Our Lady under the Maphoria draws a sharpening of green or blue, decorated with white stripes of the ornament (Fig. 10).
Female images in the icon in most dressed in the tunic and cloak, fastened with a fibula. On the head is depicted - boards.
On top of the tunic is put on a long dress, decorated with a sub-line and apron, which goes down. This clothing is called a dolmatik.
Sometimes, instead of dad, a table can be depicted, which, although similar to Dolmatik, but does not have an apron (Fig. 11).
In the robe of Christ enters Chiton, a long shirt with wide sleeves. Hiton is painted in purple or red-brown. It is decorated with two parallel stripes walking from the shoulder to the hem. These are keys, which in ancient times indicated the belonging to the Patrician class. Hiton is attacked by Himatius. It completely closes the right shoulder and partially left. The color of the hymatatic blue (Fig. 12).
Folkwear is decorated with bawed, embellished precious stones.
On the icons of a later period you can see civilian clothes: boyars fur coats, caftans and a variety of varieties of commoners.
Reverend, that is, monks, dressed in a ride, mantle, schima, hoods, and so on. On the heads of the monasses, the Apostolnik (Cape), closing his head and shoulders (Fig. 13).
Warriors are written in armor, with a spear, sword, shield and other weapons (Fig. 14).
When writing the kings of their heads were decorated with a crown or crown (Fig. 15).
Fragment of the icon "Our Lady of Lening". Lipa, Pavolok, Levkas, tempera. The first half of the XV century. Tretyakov Gallery.
Iconography (gr. - Image, image and writing, cherch, drawing) - Strictly styled image system of gods, holy and other supernatural characters or plot scenes for religious topics defined by the iconographic canon.
Iconographic canon
The iconographic canon is a set of rules and norms regulating the writing of the icons, based on the concept of image and symbol (the symbol acts as a link between the world of superficial and reality, God and man), formed in Byzantium by the XI-XII centuries. and was adopted by Russian orthodox Church. The church iconographic canon fixed and secured the features of the iconic images that separated the Divine, Horny, the world from the world of earthly.
This goal was:
1) the image of the face of God, the Mother of God, the saints with the spiritual, unearthly underlined in them;
2) immobility (static) of depicted figures;
3) a special system of image image (inverse perspective) and temporal relations;
4) conventions of color in the icon, its gold background.
The iconographic canon was implemented in Russia in the so-called originals: facial scripts They were diagrams - drawings in which the basic composition of the icons and the color characteristics were fixed; sensible original Gave a verbal description of the main iconographic types.
As art enriches the art, the iconographic schemes gradually changed and became more complicated. Sampling of iconographic art, the creative individuality of the artist led to freedom of interpretation of traditional iconographic scenes, which led to the emergence of new, less strictly regulated on the plot and execution of icons.
Iconography (from Greek. Eikón - image, image and ... graphic) in the visual art - a strictly installed image system of any characters or plot scenes. The iconographic systems were generated in ancient times by the bond of art with religious cult and ritual. The obligation to comply with the rules I. was established to facilitate the recognition of the character or scene and coordinate the principles of figuratively visual image with the dominant theological concept (I. Mother of God, Christ, "holidays" in Christian art, Buddha and Bodhisatv in Buddhist art). For centuries, with enrichment of art with new content, iconographic schemes gradually changed. Proviscious art, the development of the realism and creative individuality of artists (in Europe in the Renaissance) was led to the freedom of interpretation of old iconographic schemes and the emergence of new, less strictly regulated.