Synopses & Reviews
The Menil's collection of Byzantine andand#160;related icons is widely regarded as one of the most important in the United States. Comprising more than sixty works, many acquired by Dominique de Menil in 1985 from the noted British collector Eric Bradley,and#160;the group spansand#160;twelve hundredand#160;years, from the sixth to the eighteenth centuries, and encompasses a number of distinct cultures, including Greek, Balkan, and Russian.and#160;In this volume, the first publication to survey this diverse collection, leading scholars explore the history and meaning of these remarkable works, and their continuing power to surprise and impress.and#160;
Orthodox Christianityand#160;developed in the Near East during the Byzantine Empire, in time yielding eleven autocephalous communions of which the Greek, Russian, Romanian,and#160;Serbian, and Bulgarian Orthodox churches are the largest today. Each maintained the tradition of icon painting rooted in Byzantium but inflected it in distinctive ways. Transcending time and place through a delicate balance of tradition and innovation, these images of saintly or divine figures were designed to imprint their holy subjects on the human mind. Though largely dismissed as backward by Renaissance and Enlightenment Europeans, icons captured the imagination of early modernist painters, and contemporary audiences appreciate them as aesthetic objects.
Synopsis
The Menil houses one of the most important collections of Byzantine and Russian icons in the United States—a collection that spans over one thousand years, from the 7th to the 18th century. Understanding the power of this art form, seldom recognized outside of Russia and Greece, Dominique de Menil assembled the collection in the 1980s.
Imprinting the Divine presents sixty of these exquisite works in full color, many of which have never been published, accompanied by essays that explore the history and artistry of these precious images.
Christian Orthodoxy developed in the Near East during the Byzantine Empire and eventually spread to the surrounding regions of Greece, Russia, Serbia, and Bulgaria. Along with the practices of the faith came the tradition of icons, which varied stylistically by region. Most often painted on wooden panels, these icons are more than just depictions of holy people; they are, in effect, holy images that transcend time and place. These works had to be recognizable and true to their subjects, but they also blended familiar elements to generate new messages.
About the Author
Annemarie Weyl Carr is a university distinguished professor emerita of art history at Southern Methodist University. Bertrand Davezac is a former curator at the Menil Collection. Clare Elliott is assistant curator at the Menil Collection.