Theotokos: Temple of God. A new 18th century Greek icon on the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple (original) (raw)

2021, Религија. Зборник на трудови од Осмиот меѓународен симпозиум за византиски и средновековни студии „Денови на Јустиниjан I“, Скопје, 13-14.11.2020 г.

When considering the orthodox icons, it is difficult, if not impossible, not to see the religious element. However, natural landscapes, civil architecture and a myriad of elements that are not strictly religious can also be perceived. However, the ensemble is immersed in the dynamism of Christian iconography and linked to the sphere of religion. We could ask whether certain icons can better signify the religious element than others. Of course, from a theological perspective this is an approach that does not make much sense. However, from a formal and worldly perspective, we could think that an icon such as the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple can provide elements that bring out suggestive reflections: history / tradition, temple, prophet / priest, procession, basic characters of the religious essence, angels, and liturgy elements such as candles, curtains, columns. This is the reason why in the context of Byzantinism and Religions, we deal with the description of an icon - a 18th century Greek icon on the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple, in a private collection in Barcelona (Spain). We will use it as a starting point to apprise some aspects of the theological “message” (Mary as the Temple of God) and to propose some contributions on the topic of the sketches used by icon painters, the symmetry of iconographic models, and the correction of patterns.