 | Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com | This lavishly illustrated guide to iconography explains through words and pictures the history, meaning, and purpose of Christian icons as well as the traditional methods that religious painters use to create these luminous, spiritually enlivened works of art. Solrunn Nes, one of Europe's most admired iconographers, illuminates the world of Christian icons, explaining the motifs, gestures, and colors common to these profound symbols of faith. Nes explores in depth a number of famous icons, including those of the Greater Feasts, the Mother of God, and a number of the better-known saints, enriching her discussion with references to Scripture, early Christian writings, and liturgy. She also leads readers through the process and techniques of icon painting, showing each step with photographs, and includes more than fifty of her own original works of art. Deeply inspiring and utterly unique, "The Mystical Language of Icons" will inform both those who are familiar with the rich tradition of religious art and those who are not. It also serves as a powerful devotional resource in its own right, one that Christians everywhere can turn to again and again. |
Average Customer Rating:  Brilliant color, angelic prayer The Norwegian icon writer, Solrunn Nes, has delivered a treasury of photographed icon reproductions from authorized motifs in this cloth-bound 7 X 9 1/2 inch (11.5 X 24 cm). The author produced both the icons, using egg tempura on wood, and English text. The book was published in the USA first by Eastern Christian Publications (2004), and the year following (2005) by William B. Eerdmans of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photography by Sture Nepstad and cooperative design with Jan Ole Tveit reproduce 86 complete icons, not counting an additional five or six photographic segments of icons that appear in the first chapter: "The Icon - A Glimpse of the Divine" (pp. 7-21).
Embossed paper stock provides sufficient sheen to display matte tempura colors of the icons without glitz. Vibrant and accurate crimson reds, royal blues, and metallic golds unfold the mystical Paradise into which the soul's eye might enter.
There are two elements to this book that I like most. First, the book adheres to the living authority of the Church in icons, which signifies an equal footing that the "Eastern Church tradition" (p. 13) extends to sacred words and images. Thus, the importance of the holy icon has been established in several Ecumenical Councils, most notably the 7th Council (a succinct summary of Nicaea II appears on p. 15).
Nes discusses icons according to their canonical status. Sacred icons are not art in a relative sense of meaning such as historical artifacts alone, without also conveying one through the portal of the icon by way of its adherence to sacred tradition. Moreover, Nes advances the view that holy icons profess how the Church blends testimonies of Holy Scripture, sacred traditions, and prayerful union with the Holy Trinity, saints, and angels.
Second, Nes's "Presentation of Icon Motifs" has been arranged with catechesis in mind. Nes presents Christ Pantocrator, "Ruler of all," as the first of 48 photographed Christ icons passim, and the first of six introductory motifs: Pantocrator, Triptych with Deesis, King and High Priest, Christ Emmanuel, Christ Enthroned, and the Mandylion. Four photographs of various Pantocrator icons she has written include two icons from the Cretan school as well as a third Greek variant written on driftwood, along with a fourth Serbian variant. In reference to catechesis, the author's text introduces Christ by explaining the meaning of symbols and colors.
For example, in discussing the Pantocrator, Nes identifies the two robes that Christ wears as symbols of his divine and human natures. By linking her description of symbols to the "energies" of Christ and selected passages from Hebrew (O.T.) and Christian (N.T.) Scriptures, Nes harmonizes what she writes in images and words according to the ancient tradition of icon writers, which included the Apostles John the Theologian and Thomas.
Catechesis begins with a total of six motifs devoted to Christ, followed by a single icon of the Holy Trinity from the Novgorod school (Russia, 12th-16th centuries). Her icon of the Holy Trinity bears the characteristic emerald green, fiery crimson, and majestic yellow colors of the Novgorod school, without also conveying an heretical inequality in images of the Persons of the Holy Trinity such as appeared in some medieval Novgorod icons.
Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity corrected medieval heresies. In particular, an equality of Persons survives in the celebrated Holy Trinity icon by Andrei Rublev (15th century). Similar to Rublev, Nes deletes Abraham and Sarah from the icon's narrative. However, her icon differs from Rublev by adhering to colors of the Novgorod school and by adding a cross to the central figure's halo along with the Greek article "o = the" and the Greek verb 'to be' All features of relational communication remain intact in this icon.
Eight icon motifs are devoted to the Holy Mother of God, the Theotokos. In addition, the Blessed Theotokos appears as prominent in seven icons that represent motifs from the ministry of Christ. In all, the Theotokos displays varied parts of service to Christ in 15 of Nes's icons selected for this book. Perhaps space did not permit including in text the traditions and pious translations of icons such as "Our Lady of the Sign," "Mother of God Platytera," and "Mother of God Hodegetria." Nevertheless, Nes and her co-designer, Tveit, still provide room to explain colors and symbols in each icon and devote more space to photographs. If readers seek information about traditions and translations of the models for these motif examples written by Nes, which are miracle-working icons from Russia, Crete-Greece, Macedonia-Greece, and Serbia, they must look elsewhere.
Nes links the motifs of St. George and the Dragon (p.88) and the Prophet Daniel in the Lion's Den (p.89)--a link which emphasizes the Church's doctrine of a continuous thread of Patriarch/Matriarchs, Kings, Prophets, and Christian Martyrs that began witnessing Christ when time began. She concludes with icons and discussion of angels as well as important Christian saints that are common to every Orthodox Synaxarion.
One page each for reviews by noted Norwegian critics, an author biography, and significant texts pertaining to holy icons conclude the 112 pages of text. Christian education for children and adults will employ this text for age-related purposes. Children from age 5 or 6 up and adults can employ the icons for sketching beneath tracing (translucent) paper. The text can serve as an introductory text of icon motifs as well as advanced text for theological inquiry.
GREAT! What a wonderful way to learn about this art-history, steps to make each piece and all of the prayer that goes in to each piece as it is being made. Highly recommend. The Mystical Language of Icons Excellent explanations of the symbolic meanings withen icons. I liked it.
Marguerite Culhane
Eagle River AK The Mystical Language of Icons An excellent book for those interested in iconography.Set at a level for both the experianced writer, who wants to refresh their knowledge and yet also for the novice who would like to investigate this area.The explanations of the icons are wonderful,while the prayers from the eastern orthodox church illustrate the deep comtemplative spirit of this media. The Mystical Language of Icons Wonderful book. One those you can't put down. Great art. And i hope he does more on the subject. Just a great book. A+ |  |
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