Between Tradition and Modernity

In the religious culture of a significant part of Europe, the icon as a liturgical element of the Orthodox Church plays an important role. For a believer, it can have a transformative impact. It is a means towards the realisation of personhood because it brings people into direct relationship with God. The holy person depicted in the icon becomes present through it. The icon is thus a means of knowing God. Since 'the icon participates in the holiness of the represented' and 'reveals the incorruptible kingdom of God', through it 'the beholder becomes a participant of divine life'. It means that a human being becomes capable of transfiguring matter and creating the sacred. This book encapsulates such concepts particularly as they apply to the icons of Romania. It also provides an overview of the history of icon painting in general and concludes that Romanian icons exhibit a wide variety of styles, all reminiscent of a common Byzantine tradition. It will be of particular interest to Art historians, Byzantinists, Church historians, theologians, medievalists, artists and icon painters.