The Art of Reading an Icon

Much like the Church’s rites, iconography presents a unique and powerful avenue for depicting and expressing the spiritual and divine components of religious experience through physical means. The simple admiration of the artistic forms and expression of icons is therefore itself a formative experience. In learning to read an icon, one gleans a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the meaning and significance which icons portray, especially because icons are not merely artistic depictions but also expressions of theology and spirituality. Through a multifaceted reading of iconography — including narrative-based, cultural, and theological approaches — one begins to uncover the unique, compelling, and significant meanings of icons without demeaning, devaluing, or misinterpreting them. Indeed, a sound reading of icons requires an approach that considers the complex interplay between visual art, storytelling, cultural symbolism, and religious tradition.

The Narrative-Based Approach

Icons are most commonly interpreted through the textual and oral narratives which they depict. The illustration of a particular story enables readers to utilize their imaginative faculties, envision the story more concretely, and therefore cultivate a deeper comprehension of and resonation with the narrative. Both the cognitive and aesthetic characteristics of icons are important. The use of colors and beautifully designed artwork conveys the significance of the narrative and inspires a more immersive experience of the text itself. By recalling the story which an icon presents, one can breathe life into an otherwise two-dimensional canvas. In early Coptic manuscripts, icons were commonly used to depict scenes found in the Gospels, inviting readers to imagine and place themselves within the story and thereby gain a deeper understanding and experience of it. 

Figure 1: A Coptic manuscript of the Gospels dating to 1250 A.D., including icons of Jesus’ arrest and trial (left: folio 56v) and His baptism in the Jordan River (right: folio 66r) (Bibliothèque de Fels (Fels Library), Institut Catholique de Paris, Ms. Copte-Arabe 1).

Figure 2: An icon of the Holy Family on its journey to Egypt. The Arabic text reads “Out of Egypt I called My Son (Matthew 2:15)”

As one example, in Figure 1, the depiction of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River moves the manuscript’s reader to visually imagine the unfolding scene — to feel the water splash against his skin, hear the rumblings of the gathered crowd, and even smell the fish. By engaging these senses, the icon translates a static narrative into an experienceable event. This exercise primarily carries an educational purpose. For this reason, instructive details were not uncommon; they further facilitated the educational emphases of the narrative-based approach. For instance, in Figure 2, the related prophecy of Hosea 11:1 which is referenced in Matthew 2:15 is directly incorporated into an icon of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt.

The interrelation of the narrative and the icon is inextricable. Just as an icon informs a deeper experience of a written or orally-delivered narrative, apart from the narrative, an icon falls short in delivering its experiential intentions. Remaining with the example of Figure 2, unless one connects the image with the narrative of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, he fails to uncover the deep symbolism and spiritually-applicable lessons which the icon depicts. Ascertaining these characters to be the Holy Family, and understanding the environment and contexts which the Gospel narratives express in relation to this specific experience in the incarnate life of Christ, opens up the icon to become an illustration of sacrificial fatherhood, in the person of Joseph who walks on foot and leads his family away from the comfort of home into uncertainty in Egypt, and endearing motherhood, in the person of Mary who swaddles Jesus and holds Him in her arms. In considering an icon through its narrative, and especially those that are widely known, iconography becomes a powerful medium for deeper reflection and education.

Further, the experiential nature of iconography, and the narrative-based approach, is not bound by culture or theological mastery. While many individuals may feel ill-equipped or unable to relate to the cultural and theological roots of an icon, the narrative-based approach bridges the gap between readers and the narrative’s author, enabling readers to enter palpably and with all their senses into the narrative itself. However, icons are written within a particular cultural context and are naturally expressive of theology, and thus, a holistic approach to reading icons is necessary. While the narrative-based outlook carries important benefits, it should not be divorced from other approaches.

The Cultural Approach

Reading icons through the lens of their writers’ cultures, societal contexts, and artistic traditions facilitates a deeper experience of the icons’ depictions and a more refined appreciation for their message. Cultural considerations uncover the complexity behind the composition of an icon. To illustrate the importance of this approach, Pharaonic art was often adapted for use by Coptic iconographers in third-century Egypt. They found in the artwork of Isis nursing Horus inspiration for portraying the Virgin nursing the Christ Child, and associated Horus’ slaying Apophis with St. George’s slaying the dragon.[1]

Figure 3: Isis nursing Horus (top left); the Virgin nursing Christ (top right); Horus slaying Apep (Apophis) (bottom left); Saint George slaying the dragon (bottom right).

The visual similarities between Pharaonic art and Coptic iconography, especially in the above example, are fascinating: the Virgin holds Christ in the same manner that Isis holds Horus, both infants sit on the left side of their mothers, and both mothers are depicted with large eyes and as smiling. Given these strong resemblances, it is believed that the Egyptians were familiar with the pagan gods well into the fourth century A.D. and that such iconographic connections sought to assimilate former pagans. Rather than deny the background and certain cultural components of the Egyptian pagans, iconographers provided them with the means by which to incorporate their cultural identity into the experience of worship within the framework of their newly-accepted Christian beliefs.

Since the Christian Faith is holistic and cannot be confined or compartmentalized into a mere aspect of the believer’s life, the acceptance of the Christian Faith by the Egyptians quickly affected their cultural expression. They yearned to use their culture to honor God, even in the artwork which they produced. Within this same context, the appropriation of pagan themes and narratives in Coptic art was not only an instrument of assimilation, but also emphasized the superiority of the Christian Faith to the pagan beliefs. In keeping with the earlier example of Horus, Horus’ royal assent to avenge his father gives way to the Lord’s superior salvific act for all mankind. The interrelation and inseparability of both the cultural and narrative approaches to reading icons are therefore evident.

Further, the cultural approach enhances the understanding of artistic traditions. The influence of ancient Egyptian art on early Coptic art is perceived in Coptic iconographers’ use of gold leaf. Similarly, the use of intricate patterns and shapes in later icons testifies to the influence of Islamic art. As Egypt experienced a variety of artistic traditions over several millennia, such as Pharaonic art, Islamic art, and Western art, the cultural connection situates the icon within its appropriate place in the larger scheme of history. At the same time, because icons carry religious and spiritual foundations, they are not meant to be relegated to a historical setting. The narrative and cultural methods must therefore be united to a theological approach.

The Theological Approach

The reading of icons requires discernment of what they are depicting — not only the narratives they are expressing in visual form, but also the dogmatic, doctrinal, and spiritual underpinnings and implications of that narrative. For this reason, icons are referred to as being written rather than drawn. In the Coptic tradition, the most significant aspect of iconography is the religious teaching which icons uphold and express. In a profound way, iconographers use symbolism and imagery to convey and deliver a deep teaching apprehensible even to an illiterate and uneducated viewer. A common feature of icons of the Virgin Mary, such as Figure 4, is the placement of three stars on her veil — one above her forehead, and one at each shoulder. This detail serves a deeper purpose than adornment: it may be understood as expressive of the Church’s understanding of the ever-virginity of the Mother of God — before, during, and after her pregnancy with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Figure 4: A medieval Coptic icon of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The true richness of an icon is found in its spiritual depth. Ultimately, a theological reading of icons is an invitation into their most central purpose. By vivifying the most minuscule details of an icon, such as the stars on the Virgin’s veil, the theological approach transcends the narrative and cultural considerations. The disproportionately large eyes, ears, and heads of figures in Coptic iconography reflect the spiritual qualities of vigilance and contemplation; the smaller mouths and noses may similarly emphasize the spiritual dangers of an idle tongue and sensual pleasures. The diligent search for the theological significances of all aspects of icons is vital to their fullest experience and comprehension.

Icons serve as spiritual windows and are a medium for veneration, meditation, and divine presence, enabling one to enter into the spiritual encounter of God Himself. Personal devotion is therefore an integral component in engaging with iconography. In one story of St. Mary of Egypt, the saint venerates the Virgin Mary through her icon, out of which she had heard a voice directing her to the life of asceticism.[2] Personal devotion, rooted in a multifaceted approach to and reading of the icon, enabled Mary of Egypt to encounter the blessed Virgin intimately and venture into the life of asceticism in the worship of Christ.

Importantly, veneration and personal devotion must be distinguished from worship. Neither the icons nor their depicted stories are the subject of worship, though they are important facilitators for the worship of God. The theological reading, alongside the narrative-based and cultural approaches, allows for icons to unveil the profound depths of their depicted experiences and invite viewers into those very experiences to obtain the virtues and spiritual fruits they offer.

Conclusion

As expressions of art, icons move the spirit and inspire devotion in a myriad of ways. Iconography, therefore, cannot be confined to a specific methodological or systematic evaluation. A rich and holistic reading of icons, then, requires the incorporation of a variety of perspectives and a multifaceted approach. By weaving together consideration for icons’ narratives, cultural contexts, and theological significances, viewers and readers of icons become able to better understand and truly appreciate the complex interplays at work in iconography. At all times, at the heart of iconography is the invitation to personally encounter the Lord of the Church, and, having gazed at the beauty and reverberations of the life with Him, take up the journey towards perfection and virtue in the company of His saints.

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[1] See George Makary, “History,” George Makary Coptic Icons.

[2] See Wallis Budge, “ID 107: Story of and Homily on Saint Mary of Egypt, the Desert Mother previously driven by lust, who promises the Icon of the Virgin Mary that she will become a nun (sometimes in two parts),” Wendy Laura Belcher, Jeremy Brown, Mehari Worku, and Dawit Muluneh (ed.), Täˀammərä Maryam (Miracle of Mary) Stories (Princeton: Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary project).

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Mark Dawod serves as a Reader at St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Jersey City, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Princeton University and a current student at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, pursuing a career in medicine.

This paper is an adaptation of course work submitted for "Healing & Justice: The Virgin Mary in African Literature & Art," offered by Dr. Wendy Belcher in Spring 2023 at Princeton University.

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