Western Style Icons

[andrewstx]

Originally Posted by CatholicLife

The miracalous icon of the Softner of Evil Hearts is in the Western style and God has chosen to work through it.

St Seraphim of Sarov had a copy of this icon and venerated it.
So do I but I never knew the name of it.

Thanks.

[andrewstx]

Originally Posted by ByzCathCantor

Indeed, and there are others. Slava Bohu!

Artistic preference aside, it is not the style per se that matters as much as the adherence to the principles of iconography (icons are "written", not drawn) which determine whether a spiritual depiction is truly an icon, as opposed to religious art.

FYI - the so-called Western style that has been highligted here was mainly a product of Tsarist influence on the Russian Orthodox Church, with some spillover to neighboring Churches of Slavic origin. The style of iconographic depiction and the introduction of great choral settings of the Divine Liturgy, Vespers, Matins and religious hymns were developed to rival the Roman Catholic Church, as Moscow claimed the title of "Third Rome".

Really most of my icons come from Sophrino in Moscow and are in this semi-western style.

[ByzCathCantor]

Originally Posted by andrewstx

Really most of my icons come from Sophrino in Moscow and are in this semi-western style.

semi-western is probably a better characterization, as Greek elements and patterns are still evident

[Hellenised]

Some Western Style Icons aren't too bad... but then again, I'm not a huge fan of Byzantine icons. I prefer the Coptic style of icons.