Philosophical and theological principles of icon-painting Cover Image

Філософські та богословські основи іконо творчості
Philosophical and theological principles of icon-painting

Author(s): Andrii Demianchuk
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Visual Arts, 6th to 12th Centuries, History of Art
Published by: Національна академія керівних кадрів культури і мистецтв
Keywords: theological and philosophical principles of icon-painting; a phenomenon of the icon; principles of icon veneration;

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of the article is to study philosophical and theological principles of icon-painting, explain the material and spiritual nature of the icon, determine its principal difference from the non-sacral secular art, to show the role of the canonical icon in a Christian temple, its link with Liturgy. Methodology. A complex of methods has been applied in the study, such as: historical, comparative, analysis and generalization methods, descriptive, iconographic (principles and methods of depiction); technological; theological (analysis of the Bible texts); philosophical (substance and phenomenon; content and form; necessity and chance, etc.); inductive and deductive methods, etc. Owing to these methods we have studied philosophical and theological principles of icon-painting, explained the spiritual and material nature of the icon and its difference from secular art. The scientific novelty of this work is in revealing the role of philosophical and theological principles of icon-painting. In this context, we have studied the material and spiritual nature of the icon and, in particular, revealed its fundamental link with Liturgy. Conclusions. The icon is a sacral work that has not only the material but spiritual character as well. This explains its link with Liturgy. It is based on the philosophical and theological principles that do not contradict but supplement the established canonical iconographic rules elaborated in the 9-10th centuries and the national art traditions. In today‘s sacral art along with the use of the established traditional symbols there exist attempts to create the new specimens of a transcendental icon. We shall note that the underlying rationale of the transcendental icon is God’s secrets open to perception a priori (through faith) and a posteriori (through experience). Therefore, the icon through its transcendental nature must, as it is done by the Word of God, reveal God’s secrets and deliver them to all people. The icon is also metaphysical. This is a very valuable property that makes it different from other works of secular art, for example, from a portrait. There are many definitions of this term in philosophy, but metaphysics in theology has a concrete content: this is a high spiritual world of God’s existence. Jesus resurrected from the dead and His saints are in this world and they are the objects of imaging in the icons. The icon is ontological as it expressly shows the possibility of a perception of the supreme cause of existence. In the philosophy ontology is the branch exploring the supreme foundations of all things in existence, sources of existence, moving forces of the world-building. Christian ontology shows God as the primary source of all things in existence. However, exploring the problem of philosophical and theological principles of icon-painting still requires more detailed studies and new approaches.