Art

12/9/04

Introduction

• rejection of monophysite philosophy – partial explanation of iconoclasm
• 787 Seventh Ecumenical Council – icons to receive veneration, pass on to the object, worship is only for God
• next to baptism – the most contentious issue
• Manicheeism – all matter is evil
• all icons seemed to be against all matter
• Augustine – some say that he never moved beyond Manichee approach to matter / spirit view
• matter / spirit dichotomy
• Islam – does not allow for the painting of a face, Islam’s start was near the same time as the iconoclasm controversy

Art

• volatile
• art confronts immediately

Images

• gold color around head – represents glory of God
• light of God breaks through the robe
• hand is positioned for blessing
• cross became a central image in the West
• the East was more for glorification of Christ
• empty cross is sign of resurrection
• in West, Mary is shown in blue, in East, Mary is shown in gold\
• blessing – hand has ring finger and thumb together
• tilt of Mary’s head – tenderly motherly care
• elongation of face accentuated the eyes
• bishop
• book with gems

Iconostasis

• arrangement of icons

Orthodox

• stand throughout the worship service
• go to become part of the history of the church
• authority of salvation is in the church, not personal faith

Architecture

• abbey church of Sandenee in Paris
• gothic cathedrals built in stages (catastrophes, fires, etc)
• asp – round center section at the back of the church, usually behind and above the alter
• post-reformation – renamed church to “meeting house”
• in order to associate “church” with the people

Class Discussion

Basil – impacted greatly by iconoclasm, left-wing of reformation

Were the Lord’s Supper disputes related to iconoclasm? Role of material and worship?

1529

Lutherans and Calvinists – Lord’s Supper

• Zwingli
• Calvin – denied this
• Luther – ubiquity of the Eucharist
• R____

What is the role of money in art and at what point did this become controversial?

• resource allocation?

Cathedrals played same role as a new “shopping mall” in a dying neighborhood

• brought jobs
• provided training
• the building also provided new opportunities for architecture (similar to war-time medical advances and weapons)

Is it the symbols or the elaborateness of the symbols that are the problem?

Reminder – illiterate populace

• no catecheses
• no ‘Sunday school’
• only wealthy families could hire teachers
• icons were the way they learned the faith

church bells – no way for people to hear what was being spoken in cathedrals

Elevation of one of the senses above the others

• why do some lead to idoltary

modern church interaction with images/symbols

• no images in non-denominational churches – “seeker-friendly” churches
• images provide opportunity for interpretation
• modernity focused on exact, defined meaning
• words (more and more of them) further define the subject
• art leaves the interpretation (moreso) up to the viewer
• postmodern (pendulum swinging) mindset will be open to images
• in addition, image-driven culture feeds this
• information-overload will also push people toward images