The Art of Seeing: Paradox and Perception in Orthodox Iconography

by Maximos Constas

Father Maximos Sebastian PressThe Art of Seeing explores sacred images in light of Orthodox theology, making special use of perspectives and insights from the patristic interpretation of sacred texts. Drawing on the disciplines of art history, aesthetics, and theology, this innovative study explores the phenomenon of paradox—at once artistic, visual, and cognitive—through which sacred images disturb the eye and provoke the mind to reflection. Like a detour made necessary by an insurmountable obstacle, the paradox of the image marks the way, the mysterious path of ascent, but it also marks a place, for it is the irruption into the world of something beyond the world. In seeking presence over representation, the icon aims to deepen perception into the awareness that the absence of visual resemblance has the power to virtualize within itself resemblance to the invisible 2014 978-1-936773-19-0 Number of 261, softbound 2014

Genres: Religion

263 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2014

About the author

Note: Maximos Constas is the monastic name given to Nicholas Constas.

Reviews

[Noula]

This book takes you behind the artwork of iconography to explain why certain colors are used. The coolest part was when the book stated how our eyes view the icons in the Greek Orthodox Church.

[Nathan]

Christian Aesthetics and its relationship to theological themes. Constas offers lucid interpretations of Christian iconography in conversation with contemporary theology.