One Icon Resembles Another

Almost all icons portray biblical characters or scenes. Alternatively, they may recall medieval saints, faithful believers and martyrs, or current saints. First-time observers often notice that one icon is very like another - oh perhaps some differences in color or interpretation of detail, but overall they duplicate other icons of the same theme. A Western mind might immediately think "plagiarism" or if not that, at least "lack of creativity."

PAINTED COPIES

Here are a few examples of what I mean. The original - an icon of the Archangel Michael. It was painted in Constantinople in the 14th Century, and is on display in the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens.

The copy - an icon painted by Jackie in the UK in 2010. It's clearly a copy, although painted in a smaller size, with different materials, and in brighter colors (though the original was bright once).

Here is another icon. It shows Christ leading the disciples up the mountain, his transfiguration (glowing brightly), his conference with Elijah and Moses, his disciples being confused and afraid, and finally Jesus leading them down the mountain. This is a school icon - a teaching tool. It is in my collection.

It's called the Transfiguration.

Here is another, much more famous, and much "better" version of this same icon. However they differ in style and execution, theologically and devotionally they serve the same purpose. The characters shown are the same; the event is the same.

Here is a third version of the same icon - in progress - being painted as I write by Teresa Harrison.

Good icons are intentionally copied from previous works. As they draw and paint, iconographers are duplicating the layout, design, colors and so forth of an earlier icon. This is Orthodoxy and tradition, not plagiarism. Here is a pattern drawing of the Transfiguration icon, from a reference book used by iconographers.

MECHANICAL COPIES

With modern technologies, it is possible to produce inexpensive printed icons. Icons can be printed on paper, foam board, canvas, or other material. You might argue that these copies are less "an original work of art" than a painted icon on a gesso-coated board, but it would be wrong to say that they cannot serve a liturgical purpose in the lives of those who display or venerate them.

We have decided to make some copies of the icons that we have been painting, for several reasons. First, to recall the year-long project. Second, to share the joy of making these pieces among our small community of iconographers. We know those who commissioned them will benefit from having the originals in their presence. Third, to offer copies to people who are interested in owning a printed icon.

It's not easy to photograph icons (new ones especially), because of the intense reflections from the gilded areas. It can confuse the camera and cause various problems. Notice the modern icon below and the effect of the gold leaf compared to the painted areas.

So we went to get some professional help with this challenge, knowing we had large, valuable objects that would be getting completed, one at a time, over a period of many months.

The copies we have made (with the aid of Chrome Digital, our local graphic arts experts) are based on photographs taken in their studio under identical conditions. The digital images are adjusted and prepared with Photoshop.

Eventually they are printed on canvas, then stretched over a wooden frame. Here are the first six icons. These images are low-resolution versions of those used to create the printed copies.

This icon portrays Christ in Gethsemane

They differ slightly from the real icons because we wanted an identical border of a consistent color on each of them. These are wrapped around the frame. And of course the reflections and colors of the gold are now fixed, whereas on the real icons the light is always playing on the gold.

This is the Crucifixion

You may notice that some of the icons have a beveled edge on the outside of the gilded area. This is meant to look three-dimensional, and it does. But in fact it is a trick played on your eyes by the light on the gold. The board is actually flat. We rub the gold leaf with cotton balls in a special way, which causes the beveled look.

This is the Descent from the Cross

This particular set of icons were chosen by the church that asked Teresa to create them. She created the outline drawings in sizes they wanted, and adjusted the images and colors to create a consistent look - so they look like a set together. You will have to judge for yourself how well that was achieved.

This is the Resurrection

This is the Ascension

The final icon is Christ Enthroned

PS - there are four more underway.