An introduction to Pacheco's writings on the decorum of religious painting -- Of the order, decency and decorum that invention ought to follow -- In which the matter of decorum is continued -- In which the approval of the painting of the Last Judgment and the subject of decorum is concluded -- Important counsels on a number of sacred histories, regarding the truth and correctness with which they should be painted in accordance with the Divine Scriptures and the Holy Doctors -- In which counsels on the painting of sacred histoiries are continued -- In which the counsels on sacred paintings are continued -- On the truthful paintings of some of the best known of the saints -- In favor of painting the four nails with which Christ our Redeemer was crucified -- In which the thought and approval of these two letters is given be learned men that examined and approved them

Examines the use and meaning of Christian symbols found in Renaissance art.

Staking out new territory in the history of art, this book presents a compelling argument for a lost link between the panel-painting tradition of Greek antiquity and Christian paintings of Byzantium and the Renaissance. While art historians place the origin of icons in the seventh century, Thomas F. Mathews finds strong evidence as early as the second century in the texts of Irenaeus and the Acts of John that describe private Christian worship. In closely studying an obscure set of sixty neglected panel paintings from Egypt in Roman times, the author explains how these paintings of the Egyptian gods offer the missing link in the long history of religious painting. Christian panel paintings and icons are for the first time placed in a continuum with the pagan paintings that preceded them, sharing elements of iconography, technology, and religious usages as votive offerings. Exciting discoveries punctuate the narrative: the technology of the triptych, enormously popular in Europe, traced by the authors to the construction of Egyptian portable shrines, such as the Isis and Serapis of the J. Paul Getty Museum; the discovery that the egg tempera painting medium, usually credited to Renaissance artist Cimabue, has been identified in Egyptian panels a millennium earlier; and the reconstruction of a ring of icons on the chancel of Saint Sophia in Istanbul. This book will be a vital addition to the fields of Egyptian, Graeco-Roman, and late-antique art history and, more generally, to the history of painting.

An illuminating look at the iconography of the early church and its important place in the history of Christian art In this book, historian André Grabar demonstrates how early Christian iconography assimilated contemporary imagery of the time. Grabar looks at the most characteristic examples of paleo-Christian iconography, dwelling on their nature, form, and content. He explores the limits of originality in such art, its debt to figurative art, and the broader cultural climate in the Roman Empire, drawing a distinction between expressive images—that is, genuine works of art—and informative ones. Throughout, Grabar establishes the importance of imperial iconography in the development of Christian portraits and sheds light on the role they played alongside other forms of Christian piety in their day.

Understanding Early Christian Art is designed for students of both religion and of art history. It makes the critical tools of art historians accessible to students of religion, to help them understand better the visual representations of Christianity. It will also aid art historians in comprehending the complex theology, history and context of Christian art. This interdisciplinary and boundary-breaking approach will enable students in several fields to further their understanding and knowledge of the art of the early Christian era. Understanding Early Christian Art contains over fifty images with parallel text.

Since the iconoclastic controversies of the eighth and ninth centuries, the visual arts have been the subject of much ecclesiastical discussion and contention. In particular, since the mid-1960s Protestant scholars and clergy have been paying more attention to the potential role of the visual arts in theology and liturgy of the Christian Church. As a result, numerous programs were begun under a variety of nomenclature, e.g., Religion and the Arts, Theology and the Arts, etc. Most of the essays in this book were originally presented as part of the Pruit Symposium on "Interpreting Christian Art, " held at Baylor University in October 2000. The symposium provided the opportunity to bring together scholars, clergy, and laity who are interested in the question of how religious art can contribute to the life of the contemporary Christian community. The resulting essays are a rich fare in interdisciplinary exploration of Christian art by art historians, theologians, and biblical scholars. Essayists include Margaret Miles, Robin M. Jensen, Graydon F. Snyder, Charles Barber, Anthony Cutler, William M. Jensen, Paolo Berdini, John W. Cook, and the editors, Heidi J. Hornik and Mikeal C. Parsons.

Within the Eastern tradition of Christianity, the eikon, or religious image, has long held a place of honor. In the greater part of Western Christianity, however, discomfort with images in worship, both statues and panel icons, has been a relatively common current, particularly since the Reformation. In the Roman Catholic Church, after years of using religious statues, the Second Vatican Council’s call for “noble simplicity” in many cases led to a stripping of images that in some ways helped refocus attention on the eucharistic celebration itself but also led to a starkness that has left many Roman Catholics unsure of how to interact with the saints or with religious images at all. Today, Western interest in panel icons has been rising, yet we lack standards of quality or catechesis on what to do with them. This book makes the case that icons should have a role to play in the Western Church that goes beyond mere decoration. Citing theological and ecumenical reasons, Visel argues that, with regard to use of icons, the post–Vatican II Roman Catholic Church needs to give greater respect to the Eastern tradition. While Roman Catholics may never interact with icons in quite the same way that Eastern Christians do, we do need to come to terms with what icons are and how we should encounter them.