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A couple of our guild members attended this all day workshop at the Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls. The instructor was Alexie Mezentsev, a young man with Art degrees from Ukraine and Moscow, presently teaching in Toronto. He had been to Italy and Mount Athos Monastery in Greece to study iconography. The morning began with an historical overview of Byzantine Iconography.
The Greek word "eikon" means "image", thus ICON is a painting, mosaic or enamel of Christ, the Virgin Mary or a Saint, revered as a sacred object in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Since the 1st century of Christianity, icons have been influenced by the geometric mosaic designs of Judaism, the lovely paintings and sculptured of Greece, and the beautiful, rich portraits of the Roman culture. The golden age of Christian art was during the Byzantine Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries. There were many scholars and centres producing art. It was a time of monasteries and pilgrimages centred in Byzantium, renamed Constantinople (now Istanbul). But in the mid-8th century, Emperor Leon III abolished the veneration of icons, saying that it was idolatrous. This violent controversy lasted 100 years, during which time many monasteries were destroyed, monks were killed, and relics were taken. As much as 90% of the old Art treasures and icons, liturgy and music were destroyed. In 843, the Empress Theodora abolished the movement of iconoclasm, and re-established the veneration of icons.
We concentrated on the painted images done on wooden panels. Some are quite small for home use, others larger. In church they are arranged in a specific order making a wall or "iconostasis" up to 30 ft. high, across the front of the sanctuary. A royal door in the lower level is opened for special ceremonies. Alexei showed some wonderful slides depicting various styles used through the ages, from naïve and primitive to ornate and colourful. From animal, bird and plant images, to human figures which became more and more lifelike, fleshy and muscular, and which some felt were becoming less spiritual. But a return to the Byzantine style is being taught at various places including Mt. Athos monastery in Greece, and Jordanville monastery in upstate New York. There is an attention to detail and promotion of spiritual beauty. Figures are elongated, slender and elegant. The nose, lips and arms are small and slim, but the eyes are big - a "window " into the spiritual world. There are no symbols of time or season in the background.
Some of the process of painting an icon is similar to the illumination of calligraphy. A solid piece of aged wood is chosen, and the surface is prepared. Up to 10 layers of gesso are applied and sanded down smoothly between each application. The gesso is a combination of glue with either alabaster or white chalk or titanium powder. The frame is part of the same piece of wood, as the icon will be painted in the recessed centre. This allows people to kiss the frame without damaging the actual image.
Then the design is transferred. Much research has gone into the portrayal of the various figures, as certain canon rules have to be observed. Some classic examples are used again and again, but depending on artistic and spiritual ability, no two are exactly alike. The back of the prototype is blackened with pencil (no carbon), and copied onto the panel. To transfer a huge fresco design on a wall, holes were pricked in the drawing and then dabbed with red ochre powder. In the case of mosaics, thin copper or brass wire was placed between the stones, or small red stones were used to outline the figures.
Once the design is in place, gold leaf is applied over the gesso, and an agate stone is used to polish and burnish it. To cut costs, a gold oil-based glue/paint can be used, in order to afford the best brushes possible, ie. sable. Egg tempera, oils or acrylic paints can be used, even over the gold. Colours are applied in a specific order starting with the darkest. When using egg tempera, the design outline is visible through the medium, but acrylic paint covers much of the outline, which has to be redrawn again and again. After the darkest, the medium and lighter colours are added. Final touches of white highlight the nose, under the eyes, fingers etc., stressing the blessing hands or other very important features. The painting is done with a very fine, pointed brush, even for large areas, using 5 or 6 basic colours - red, white, black, blue, yellows and browns. Diagonal hatchmarks are painted all over the area and allowed to dry. This is repeated in the other direction with up to 6 layers being done. This gives an almost textured appearance. Alexei uses a damp sponge on which to dab his brush to give it a good point, and a paper towel to draw away excess water. (He was using acrylics). In early Christian times, calligraphy was developed to complete the icon design, and was in Greek. Now the inscriptions are also in Latin or English. The Greek letters on either side of the illustration read Jesus Christ.
To preserve the icon, a satin varnish is brushed on, and another larger frame may be attached. It is then blessed and considered complete. It takes time and contemplation, and the artist must be at peace with him- or herself while painting. Icons are never signed, because the artist feels that God has influenced him and has worked through him to produce a beautiful work.
