Indigenous Icons: Has Anyone Ever Come Across Any and Why are more not done?

[FireDragon76]

You would probably enjoy this - called SILENT NIGHT, a Thai painting by Sawai Chinnawong
MALAM KUDUS, lukisan Thailand karya Sawai Chinnawong —

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And for one on The Creation, a Thai painting
Penciptaan, lukisan Thailand

These paintings have some interesting content. The angels are portrayed in the manner of Buddhist devas (gods).

 

[Gxg (G²)]

These paintings have some interesting content. The angels are portrayed in the manner of Buddhist devas (gods).

Seeing that angels are considered elohim, I thought it was a good parallel with the concept of other divine beings in differing cultures being lower elohim ...

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I definitely agree when it comes to the benefit of having more abstract presentations of Christ as the safer option when it comes to multicultural depictions of Christ - as the one from Cameroon was excellent.

Where icons are too real is where I can become cautious ...


How to understand the nature of Christ and its relation to the world is a very crucial key when it comes to how to see the issue and I thank you for bringing it up - it was something I had considered bringing up when it came to the ways others understood the concept of Christ taking on Flesh (more shared here and here). Of course, as it concerns the concepts of icons, they are like links that take you into the world beyond this one - and that concept transcends anything we are used to in this world alone, so even as we view an icon (such as the Icon from Cameroon) and see it in a more abstract format, what has to be remembered is not only that the Western world does not define truth alone - but also that spiritual realities transcend our understanding.

Fascinating iconography from a synagogue in Damascus and Dura Europos, as well as Armenian Icons:

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[Gxg (G²)]

Fascinating iconography from a synagogue in Damascus and Dura Europos, as well as Armenian Icons:

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Fascinating iconography from a synagogue in Damascus and Dura Europos, as well as Armenian Icons:

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An image of the Transfiguration....​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

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An image of the Transfiguration....​

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The Beatitudes, a Chinese painting
Sabda Bahagia, lukisan China​

The Battle - A painting by a Japanese artist, Daniel Mitsui

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven (Revelation 12:7,8). — with Thomas Lijo James Lijo, Vasa Stojanovska, Irenaios Wiwit Budi Priyono and 24 others.​

And here is Glorification of the Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America

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[Gxg (G²)]

An image of the Transfiguration....​

[/QUOTE]

The Beatitudes, a Chinese painting
Sabda Bahagia, lukisan China​

The Battle - A painting by a Japanese artist, Daniel Mitsui

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven (Revelation 12:7,8). — with Thomas Lijo James Lijo, Vasa Stojanovska, Irenaios Wiwit Budi Priyono and 24 others.​

And here is Glorification of the Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America

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For anyone interested...

This is an excellent presentation I was thankful to investigate recently - called "Embodying the Holy: Icons in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism - Embodying the Holy." And for more info:

Embodying the Holy compares sacral representations in the Eastern Orthodox Christian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, juxtaposing Greek, Russian, and Byzantine icons with traditional Tibetan Buddhist thangkas. Icons in both traditions share a surprising number of similarities, and parallels can be drawn between iconographic schemes, compositional structure, and narrative techniques. The exhibition also explores important differences in the art of these traditions.

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[Gxg (G²)]

It is because of the fact that differing cultures have their own forms that we must be sensitive whenever it comes to others seeking to promote the Gospel and yet doing so in ways that actually match their culture and reflect it wonderfully whenever it comes to seeing the example of how the Church did things.

For example, if seeing life within the Malankara Orthodox Church, There are Asharams, in the Christian Monastic tradition that have done stellar with regards to their use of icons to glorify the Lord while also keeping their culture in tact - with people who valued that and coming to mind being others like E.Stanley Jones - and it is so timely what they do. Here are some, for example, from others who are are Yeshu Bhakta (more on them here and here, here and here):

For another excellent depiction, here is the Left panel of an ivory diptych, late 8th century. Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, Brussels. Photo © KIK-IRPA. (http://thejesusquestion.org/2015/03/30/in-song-and-picture-christus-victor/)

Also, this is Fan Pu, "The Nativity," 2002. Chinese papercut. (http://thejesusquestion.org/2013/12/01/marys-lullaby-tonight-you-are-mine/):

I came across recently, Detail from the Jean Cocteau mural in the Notre Dame de France, London, 1959. (http://thejesusquestion.org/2013/09/29/the-art-of-notre-dame-de-france-london/)

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[Gxg (G²)]

I wish this topic had come up when I still lived in San Antonio because a number of the smaller galleries have some iconography from Mexican artists. Some of it is good and some has too much of the style of Frida Kahlo for my taste. I think the icon can adopt comfortable cultural references, but it must not lose the truth of the Biblical narrative.

Came across this recently and thought it was highly noteworthy. The first is of St. Francis...

And for the second, In its description:

Lill Tschudi (Swiss, 1911-2004) Gethsemane (Not in Coppel) Linocut printed in colours, on thin oriental, signed and numbered 9/50 in pencil, additionally titled and annotated in pencil along the lower margin, with margins, 450 x 347mm (17 3/4 x 13 5/8in)(B) Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, most famous as the place where Jesus prayed and his disciples slept the night before Jesus' crucifixion (http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22934/lot/47/ )

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[Gxg (G²)]

Astounding Icons I was blessed by...

The first one is of David in Prayer, Armenian style..

And for others...

And this is g Christmas-themed Mughal miniatures from the courts of Akbar and Jehangir

 

[Gxg (G²)]

We begin with what is familiar and known, and then move to a greater and broader understanding. But Christ remains familiar and known, even as we do this.

A very fascinating presentation I came across, from here:

And this batik below is presumably from China, no further information found.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

This was amazing...


Provenance:
Jesus Christ is carrying the Cross. On the right, Simon of Cyrene is helping Him. On the left, a group of soldiers is following. Icon in illuminated manuscript. Part of the Pozzi Gospels. Armenian, by Hakob Jughayetsi, completed by 1586 A.D. It is kept atthe Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Armenian Manuscripts (Մեսրոպ Մաշտոցի անվան հին ձեռագրերի ինստիտուտ), which is commonly called “the Matenadaran” (Մատենադարան). It is located in the city of Yerevan in Armenia.

Sources:
“Hakob’s Gospels: the Life and Work of an Armenian Artist of the Sixteenth Century.” By Tim Greenwood and Edda Vardanyan. Published by Sam Fogg (London, U.K.); 2006; ISBN 0954-901-47-9. Page 47.​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

This was beautiful reminder

Provenance:
Anastasis (Christ’s Descent to the Dead and His Raising of the Righteous to Everlasting Life with Him, Starting with Adam and Eve.) Icon in illuminated manuscript. Armenian, by Mesrop of Xizan, circa 1620 A.D.

Sources:
“Mesrop of Xizan: an Armenian Master of the Seventeenth Century.” By Mikayel Arakelyan. Published by Sam Fogg (London, U.K.); 2012; ISBN 978-0-955339-33-2. See page 8 for the large image; see page 39 for a smaller image and not​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Wow, all I can say is they are very interesting and very beautiful.

Great thread!

You'd appreciate this, I think. As said best elsewhere:

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The image is made of multicolored mosaic patterns, which could be interpreted as the multicolored, multicultural Body of Christ.

This image is mosaic art in the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gujarat, India.

This is a photo of the art on the church wall:

Image: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/24460272. Both photos above are by Sebastian Malieckal.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Catholic rite in Rajkot. It is also known as Prem Mandir, meaning ‘temple of love’ in Hindi and Gujarati. Learn more at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Heart_Cathedral,_Rajkot​