Western Depictions of the Pantocrator

[Mare Liberum]

Why are there so few depictions of Christ Pantocrator in the West? Has this generally to do with the loss of many Western artisans, along with their techniques, in the later stages of the Roman West? Have the Western depictions just not been preserved so well? Or is there a Christological rift between the regional Sees of the East and Rome that's at fault here? Or is it something else entirely?

 

[Albion]

Eastern theology tends to emphasize the divine nature of Christ, whereas Western theology tends to present his divine and human natures more or less equally.

 

[Mare Liberum]

Eastern theology tends to emphasize the divine nature of Christ, whereas Western theology tends to present his divine and human natures more or less equally.

Would you say the comparably common Western depiction of Christ to the Eastern Pantocrator is the Crucifix?

 

[Albion]

The crucifix does emphasize the human nature of Christ, but I wouldn't go as far as you did with your question. Christ Pantocrator or some depiction close to it does appear in Western art, just not as often as in Eastern art.

 

[prodromos]

Eastern theology tends to emphasize the divine nature of Christ, whereas Western theology tends to present his divine and human natures more or less equally.

Not true of Eastern theology.

 

[prodromos]

I suspect it has more to do with the art of the Renaissance. Whereas in the East the Churches were adorned with images painted by religious artists who were steeped in the deep symbolic traditions of iconography, in the West it was handed over to the secular masters who created their own interpretations which leaned heavily towards humanistic realism.

 

[Albion]

The "problem" seems to pre-date the Renaissance, however.

 

[prodromos]

Religious paintings in the West were also heavily influenced by the use of statues which themselves tend towards humanistic realism, as it is very difficult to make a statue represent the divine. In Eastern iconography it is represented by the disc of uncreated light surrounding the head of the subject. In the case of Christ, His photostefano has 9 rays in 3 groups of 3 representing the 9 ranks of angels and also has the letters "Ο ΩΝ" which means "I AM". The saints have a plain photostefano. Regardless of whether they face forward or sideways, the light radiates outwards. In Western statues they have tried to copy this by fixing a gold plate behind the statues' head and so went from being a spiritual symbol to becoming a physical object, always behind the head. This depiction then found its way back into the frescos where it continued to be depicted as a physical disc floating behind the head of the saint or Christ, even if they were painted looking sideways. Often the disc of one saint would obscure the face of another so they solved that problem by moving the disc up until it was floating horizontally above their head. You can see this progression in artwork on the walls of Churches built in the West after the schism. The final transformation was by the hand of Raphael who depicted the disc as transparent with only the edge visible. That is how the depiction of the halo above the saints head came about and it is completely divorced from the symbolism of the photostefano in Eastern iconography.

 

[prodromos]

The "problem" seems to pre-date the Renaissance, however.

I'd say the prevalence of statues in the West had more of an impact.

 

[Erose]

I think that prodromos is correct for the most part on this. You have two differing cultures, with differing styles of art. The East has its Icons and the West has its Images. Not saying this is exclusive mind you as the art of the great stain glass windows, and ceilings of the great cathedrals can attest to.

 

[FenderTL5]

I suspect it has more to do with the art of the Renaissance. Whereas in the East the Churches were adorned with images painted by religious artists who were steeped in the deep symbolic traditions of iconography, in the West it was handed over to the secular masters who created their own interpretations which leaned heavily towards humanistic realism.

This would agree with Francis Schaeffer in 'How Should We Then Live'
Although Schaeffer saw this as a flaw in the east, favoring the realism of the west.

 

[Chesterton]

Would you say the comparably common Western depiction of Christ to the Eastern Pantocrator is the Crucifix?

The West did come to emphasize Christ as victim (along with a rather odd affinity for suffering), whereas in the East the emphasis is on Christ as victor.

 

[prodromos]

The West did come to emphasize Christ as victim (along with a rather odd affinity for suffering), whereas in the East the emphasis is on Christ as victor.

That is why Christ is depicted as "standing" on the crucifix in Orthodox iconography, even though He is dead, signifying that death has no power over Him.

 

[prodromos]

I put together a progression of how depiction of the "halo" developed in the West after the schism.
Up until soon after the schism, Western iconography was virtually indistinguishable from that of the East.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I put together a progression of how depiction of the "halo" developed in the West after the schism.
Up until soon after the schism, Western iconography was virtually indistinguishable from that of the East.

Thank you for the excellent illustrations.

 

[Greg Logan]

Why are there so few depictions of Christ Pantocrator in the West? Has this generally to do with the loss of many Western artisans, along with their techniques, in the later stages of the Roman West? Have the Western depictions just not been preserved so well? Or is there a Christological rift between the regional Sees of the East and Rome that's at fault here? Or is it something else entirely?

Because Christ is NOT the Pantocrator - that would completely obliterate the clear scriptural distinction between Jesus and God. You will never see Jesus referred to in this manner in scripture.

 

[Greg Logan]

Not true of Eastern theology.

I like your icon!!!! Step aside coffee - this is a job for alcohol... Using an Arabic letter??

 

[prodromos]

Because Christ is NOT the Pantocrator - that would completely obliterate the clear scriptural distinction between Jesus and God. You will never see Jesus referred to in this manner in scripture.

Matthew 28:18
Ephesians 1:19-23
Christ is indeed Pantocrator.

 

[prodromos]

I like your icon!!!! Step aside coffee - this is a job for alcohol... Using an Arabic letter??

It is the letter "Nun".
In areas of Syria controlled by ISIS, when they identified someone as Christian, they would paint that letter on their house, identifying them as followers of Christ the "Nazarine". After that they were given a choice of convert to Islam, leave, or be killed. It is my poor attempt at solidarity with the Christian martyrs of Syria.

 

[Greg Logan]

It is the letter "Nun".
In areas of Syria controlled by ISIS, when they identified someone as Christian, they would paint that letter on their house, identifying them as followers of Christ the "Nazarine". After that they were given a choice of convert to Islam, leave, or be killed.

Hmmmm.... ouch....:-(