Ancient icons on display at Vatican Museum, mixing Orthodox and Catholic styles
2016-07-24
According to St. John of Damascus, "the whole Earth is a living icon of the face of God.” As such, this particularly powerful presence of icons has come to the Vatican museums with 33 individual works of art. Through the Belarus icon paintings from the 17th-21st centuries, one can find not only the face of God, but also a merging of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.
ANDREI ZHAROV
Iconographer
"It is very important for us because we tell about Belarus tradition and about our Christian tradition, which is very important for all people. And this tradition unites us.”
It is a unity that is displayed in Andrei's paintings, two of which are shown at the exhibit with Roman saints, "Saints Cosmas and Damien” and also "The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.”
This Belarusian style began in the 17th century and has absorbed influences from the western and eastern cultures, giving it a uniqueness not found elsewhere. The early paintings portray spirituality though this unified structure and restrained color range, while more recent icons use a more distinctive form and bright colors.
http://www.romereports.com/2016/07/24/ancient-icons-on-display-at-vatican-museum-mixing-orthodox-and-catholic-styles