icons in time, persons in eternity Icons in Time, Persons in Eternity presents a critical, interdisciplinary examination of contemporary theological and philosophical studies of the Christian image and redefines this within the Orthodox tradition by exploring the ontological and aesthetic implications of Orthodox ascetic and mystical theology. It finds Modernist interest in the aesthetic peculiarity of icons significant, and essential for re-evaluating their relationship to non- representational art. Drawing on classical Greek art criticism, Byzantine ekphraseis and hymnography, and the theologies of St. Maximus the Confessor, St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Gregory Palamas, the author argues that the ancient Greek concept of enargeia best conveys the expression of theophany and theosis in art. The qualities that define enargeia—inherent liveliness, expressive autonomy and self-subsisting form—are identified in exemplary Greek and Russian icons and considered in the context of the hesychastic theology that lies at the heart of Orthodox Christianity. An Orthodox aesthetics is thus outlined that recognizes the transcendent being of art and is open to dialogue with diverse pictorial and iconographic traditions. An examination of Ch’an (Zen) art theory and a comparison of icons with paintings by Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko and Marc Chagall, and by Japanese artists influenced by Zen Buddhism, reveal intriguing points of convergence and difference. The reader will find in these pages reasons to reconcile Modernism with the Christian image and Orthodox tradition with creative form in art. Cornelia A. Tsakiridou is Associate Professor, Philosophy and Director, Diplomat-in-Residence Program, at La Salle University, Philadelphia, U.S.A. For my mother Mary G. Gavriilidou In memory of my father Alexandros P. Tsakiridis NYN KAI AEI Icons in Time, Persons in Eternity Orthodox Theology and the Aesthetics of the Christian Image C.A. Tsakiridou © C.A. Tsakiridou 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. C.A. Tsakiridou has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court East 110 Cherry Street Union Road Suite 3-1 Farnham Burlington Surrey, GU9 7PT VT 05401-3818 England U.S.A. www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Tsakiridou, Cornelia A. Icons in time, persons in eternity : Orthodox theology and the aesthetics of the Christian image. 1. Christianity and art--Orthodox Eastern Church. 2. Image (Theology) 3. Icons. 4. Orthodox Eastern Church-- Doctrines. I. Title 246.5’3-dc23 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tsakiridou, Cornelia A. Icons in time, persons in eternity : Orthodox theology and the aesthetics of the Christian image / C.A. Tsakiridou. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4094-4767-2 (hardcover : alk. paper) -- 978-1-4094-5273-7 (ebook) 1. Icons. 2. Orthodox Eastern Church--Doctrines. 3. Aesthetics--Religious aspects-- Christianity. 4. Christianity and art--Orthodox Eastern Church. 5. Christian art and symbolism. 6. Theophanies. 7. Image (Theology) I. Title. BX378.5T73 2012 246’.53--dc23 2012013758 ISBN 9781409447672 (hbk) ISBN 9781409452737 (ebk)IV Printed and bound in Great Britain by the MPG Books Group, U.K. Contents List of Illustrations vii Preface and Acknowledgments xi Part I Preliminaries 1 The Need to Redefine the Christian Image 3 2 The Exemplary Work of Art 27 3 Enargeia and Key Concepts 49 Part II Theology and Art 4 The Orthodox Icon and Modernism 75 5 The New Iconoclasm 99 6 Theological Fallacies 117 7 Jacques Maritain’s Dialogue with Modernism 137 Part III Orthodox Iconology 8 Asceticism and Iconoclasm 151 9 The Mystical Lives of Beings in St. Maximus the Confessor 167 10 The Image in St. John Damascene 193 11 The Living Image in Byzantine Experience 207 vi icons in time, persons in eternity Part IV Theophany and Art 12 Human and Divine Luminaries 227 13 The Theophanic Icon 251 14 Theophany and Modernism 269 15 Enargeia and Transcendence in Zen Art 297 Epilogue 313 Bibliography 319 Index 339 Illustrations Color Plates 7 The Apostle Thomas, mid. 14th century, Holy Metropolis of 1 Diver Jumping from a Tower into the Thessaloniki, Greece. Photo Credit: Sea, “Tomb of the Diver,” early 5th C.A. Tsakiridou century B.C., Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Paestum, Italy. Photo Credit: 8 Marc Chagall, A Wheatfield on a Erich Lessing/Art Resource, N.Y. Summer’s Afternoon, Study for backdrop for Scene III of the ballet Aleko, 1942, 2 Theophanes the Greek, The Holy The Museum of Modern Art, New Trinity (Hospitality of Abraham), c. 1374, York, N.Y., U.S.A., © 2012 Artists Rights Fresco, Cathedral of Transfiguration, Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Ilyina Street, Novgorod, Russia. Photo Paris, Digital Image, © The Museum of Credit: C.A. Tsakiridou Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, N.Y. 3 Mark Rothko, No. 9, 1958, Collection of the Fukuoka City Bank Ltd., Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, © 1998 Kate Black and White Figures Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko/ 1 The Need to Redefine the Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Christian Image 4 Andrei Rublev, The Savior, c. 1394, 1.1 Panagia Dexia (detail), Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia. undated, Church of Panagia Dexia, Photo Credit: SCALA/Art Resource, Thessaloniki, Greece. Photo Credit: N.Y. C.A. Tsakiridou 5 Mark Rothko, Untitled, 1951, Oil on 1.2 St. Marina (detail), undated, canvas, The National Gallery of Art, Monastery of St. Marina, Andros, Washington D.C., U.S.A., Gift of The Greece. Photo Credit: C.A. Tsakiridou Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 2 The Exemplary Work of Art 6 Christ Pantocrator, 14th century, 2.1 Josef Koudelka, Ireland 1972, Byzantine Museum, Athens, Greece. Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage 1972, Photo Credit: C.A. Tsakiridou Magnum Photos viii icons in time, persons in eternity 2.2 Portrait of the Boy Eutyches, 6 Theological Fallacies 100–150 A.D., Encaustic on wood, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New 6.1 Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio), The York, N.Y., U.S.A., © The Metropolitan Disputa of the Sacrament, Fresco, 1509– Museum of Art. Image Source: Art 1510, Vatican Palace, Vatican State. Resource, N.Y. Photo Credit: SCALA/Art Resource, N.Y. 3 Enargeia and Key Concepts 6.2 Domenico Veneziano, St. John in the Desert, c. 1445/1450, Tempera on 3.1 Christ Deesis, 12th century, Mosaic, panel, Samuel H. Kress Collection, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. Photo Image courtesy of the National Gallery Credit: Eric Lessing/Art Resource, N.Y. of Art, Washington, The National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., 4 The Orthodox Icon and U.S.A. Modernism 6.3 Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio), The 4.1 Kazimir Malevich, Peasant Head, Miraculous Draught of Fishes, 1515– 1928, Russian State Museum, St. 1516, Victoria and Albert Museum, Petersburg, Russia. Photo Credit: Art London, U.K. The Royal Collection, © Resource, N.Y. 2012 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 4.2 Kazimir Malevich, Suprematist 6.4 The Savior Acheiropoietos (Holy Painting, 1917–1918, Stedelijk Museum, Face), 12th century, Tretyakov Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Photo Moscow, Russia. Photo Credit: Credit: Art Resource, N.Y. SCALA/Art Resource, N.Y. 4.3 Vladimir Tatlin, The Sailor, 1911, 9 The Mystical Lives of Beings in Russian State Museum, St. Petersburg, St. Maximus the Confessor Russia. Photo Credit: SCALA/Art Resource, N.Y. 9.1 Francisco de Zurbaran, Saint Anthony Abbott, after 1640, Uffizi, 4.4 Natalia Goncharova, The Florence, Italy. Photo Credit: SCALA/ Evangelist (Saint Mark) in Blue, 1911, Art Resource, N.Y. Russian State Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia, © 2012 Artists Rights Society 9.2 St. Anthony the Great, 16th (ARS), N.Y./ADAGP, Paris. Photo century, Russian State Museum, St. Credit: Art Resource, N.Y. Petersburg, Russia. Photo Credit: SCALA/Art Resource, N.Y. 4.5 Marc Chagall, The Cattle Merchant, 1912, Kunstmuseum, Basel, Switzerland, © 2012 Artists Rights Society (ARS), 12 Human and Divine Luminaries N.Y./ADAGP, Paris. Photo Credit: SCALA/Art Resource, N.Y. 12.1 Diver Jumping from a Tower into the Sea, “Tomb of the Diver,” early 4.6 St. Luke Writing at his Desk, Codex 5th century B.C., Museo Archeologico 163, folio 199v, 12th century, National Nazionale, Paestum, Italy. Photo Library, Athens, Greece. Photo Credit: Credit: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, Werner Forman/Art Resource, N.Y. N.Y. illustrations ix 12.2 Theotokos and Child, Mosaic 14.2 Vincent van Gogh, The Sower, from the Apse, 834, Hagia Sophia, 1888, Rijksmuseum Kroeller-Mueller, Istanbul, Turkey. Photo Credit: Erich Otterlo, the Netherlands. Photo Lessing/Art Resource, N.Y. Credit: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, N.Y. 12.3 Cathedral of the Ekatontapyliane, 4th century, Paros, Greece. Photo 14.3 Kazimir Malevich, Suprematist Credit: C.A. Tsakiridou Painting, 1917–1918, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Photo 12.4 St. Panteleimon, early 19th Credit: Art Resource, N.Y. century, St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery, Florence, Ariz., U.S.A. 14.4 Mark Rothko, Untitled, c. 1951– Courtesy of the Holy Monastery of 1952, Tate Gallery, London, U.K., © St. Anthony, Ariz. Photo credit: C.A. 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Tsakiridou Rothko/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Art Resource, 13 The Theophanic Icon N.Y. 13.1 Theophanes the Greek, 14.5 Robert Delaunay, Simultaneous The Holy Trinity (Hospitality of Windows (2nd Motif, 1st Part) (Les Abraham), c. 1374, Fresco, Cathedral fenêtres simultanées [2e motif, 1re of Transfiguration, Ilyina Street, partie]), 1912, Oil on canvas, 21 ⅝ × Novgorod, Russia. Photo Credit: 18 ¼ in.