Icons from the Byzantine era are treasures that stand unparalleled in Christian art. These remarkable and powerful images originated as artistic interpretations of the story of Christ, created by painters using the egg tempera technique long ago. These icons transcend individual expression and will always be revered for their sheer beauty and theological significance. The rich colors and textures of icons provoke curiosity about their symbolic visual language, the choice of colors, and the techniques used to create them.

The egg tempera technique employs a magnificent medium made from colorful ground stone and egg yolk. It is historically recognized as the second-oldest paint medium used by artists. This method consists of dry earth pigments, water, and egg yolk. Earth pigments are integral to all painting mediums: frescos use lime and earth pigments; encaustic employs beeswax and pigment; oil paintings utilize linseed oil and pigments; and watercolor relies on gum Arabic.

The egg tempera technique is best recognized worldwide for the icons of Russia and Greece, but it has also been used in panels by Italian painters, in Islamic manuscripts, and by some modern American artists.

Symbolically, egg yolk represents the essence and raw potential for life. The emulsion, mixed with million-year-old ground earth pigments, creates a divine image. When Miller paints an icon, she becomes aware that she is part of a much larger vision in the eyes of God—like a grain of sand moved by the spirit. It is not exactly the egg tempera technique that is fascinating as much as a sense of eternity that is touched while working with this rich and ancient medium. This sacred art form represents a union between the past and the present, the earth and the divine, as well as the physical and the spiritual.

Mary Jane Miller, new images posted on website.

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