Grabar Christian Iconography Summary

In the Andre Grabar’s, Christian Iconography: A Study of Its Origins, analyzation begins on the origins of iconography within Christianity. To begin, how do we define iconography? Iconography is study of the usage of images and symbols to express ideas. In other words, it is the attempt of understand artistic expression of history. Often literacy was a skill reserved for the elite, so visual representation became a powerful tool which everyone possessed the capability of understanding. The iconography of Christianity evolved and grew alongside a conquering superpower. The images began invoking a style and form from a culture that largely sought to its demise and destruction. For a few centuries, Christianity had no iconography on record. Only after the passage of time and tolerance, did the visual aspect of the religion begin to take shape. However, ask the question if the tolerance and acceptance of a monotheistic
Early images were often nonspecific, only intended to represent founding principles and ideas of the belief system. It is interesting to note that Grabar states the imagery of Christianity and Judaism both grow simultaneously, even though Judaism was in practice some 2000 years before Christianity’s existence. Was this a result of Roman power and influence? This idea cannot go unexplored. Rome was powerful and influential and dismissing the possibility would be ignoring the obvious. Through the acceptance and eventually embrace, we begin to see a transformation of the imagery. Through the influence and machine of Roman propaganda, basic Christian images are recreated in a Roman form. Was this the original intent of Christ? Is not the idea of Christianity the salvation of one’s self through good deeds? The reinvention of Christian Imagery was subject to a state run idea. Images began to take shape with roots in the imperial palaces of