Take a little bit of time to read the short articles below, Byzantium (ca. 330-1453), and Icons and Iconoclasm in Byzantium (follow the links). For more information on the works of art shown here, follow the link given. What I'd like for you to contemplate today, as you read these and explore the works of art associated with each article, is the subject of iconoclasm. "Iconoclasm literally means “image breaking” and refers to a recurring historical impulse to break or destroy images for religious or political reasons." The Byzantine iconoclastic controversy lasted for about a century, between 726-843 CE, and centered on the Old Testament prohibitions against worshipping graven images (Exodus 20:4). The fear was that the viewer of these religious icons (sacred images representing Christ, the Virgin, and saints) would misdirect their reverence and worship to the image rather than to the holy person represented in the image. What is your opinion regarding this debate? Looking at these religious icons, do you feel that the viewer could worship the object more so than the person represented? Does the artist represent these persons in a manner that would guide the viewer to worship the image and not the person? Post your comment by 11:59 pm.
Comments are closed.
|
|