What constitutes a proper icon?

[Light of the East]

I am looking to purchase an icon of Our Lady of the Inexhaustible Cup. I was shopping online and saw what looked to be nice icon, but when I read the description, it said "printed on plain paper, mounted on wood." Is this a normal format for icons? When I think of icons, I think of egg tempura on wood. Or doesn't it matter as long as the icon is properly done and then blessed by my priest?

 

[Phronema]

So, my understanding of it is there are two formats. The egg tempura on wood method, and the prints. They're describing the metallic paper used when creating a print and they're fine, in my opinion. That said I'm not an iconographer, and so certainly not an expert on icons.

The egg tempura are of course the more traditional icons, and are of a higher quality, but will cost more. The prints are certainly nice in most cases that I've experienced, but of course egg tempura is better if you're willing/able to spend the money. In either case you'd want them to be blessed by your priest as you mentioned.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I am looking to purchase an icon of Our Lady of the Inexhaustible Cup. I was shopping online and saw what looked to be nice icon, but when I read the description, it said "printed on plain paper, mounted on wood." Is this a normal format for icons? When I think of icons, I think of egg tempura on wood. Or doesn't it matter as long as the icon is properly done and then blessed by my priest?

it’s not that big a deal if a print. the Hawaiian Iveron icon is a print.

 

[E.C.]

it’s not that big a deal if a print. the Hawaiian Iveron icon is a print.

Correction Fr, her Hawaiian icon is not only a print, but also the copy of another copy

There's the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God on Mt Athos. Brother Jose had a painted copy of it where he lived in Montreal which later disappeared when he died. The Myrrh-Streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon is a copy of the missing Montreal icon.


To answer the OP, yes, traditionally icons are initially painted with egg tempura. The majority of icons that we buy, whether in this country or abroad, are copies of original icons. They are no less legitimate nor less holy then hand-painted icons. There is a bit of a debate among iconographers about adopting acrylic or not, but that's not for me. My stepmom is an iconographer and uses egg tempura as supervised by her three cats.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Correction Fr, her Hawaiian icon is not only a print, but also the copy of another copy

good call.

 

[gzt]

Traditional icons can also be done as mosaics, tapestry, etc -- egg tempura on wood is hardly the only method we've seen of Orthodox iconography.