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A Glossary of Iconography

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Dalmatic

A wide sleeved long, loose clerical vestment , open at the sides

Danil

Icon Painter - worked with his fellow monk Andrei Rublev

Deesis

The Supplication. A triad of figures - Christ flanked by St John the Baptist and the Virgin

Demi-column

Column set into a wall or pier so that only half protrudes

Diaconicon

A chamber used for storing vestments, books and vessels for use at the altar of a Byzantine church, usually found at the south of the Sanctuary

Diaspora

The dispersion of the Jews

Diocletian

The 'Godless King' featured defeated on 11th Century icon from Sinai

Dionysius the Areopagite

Bishop featuring in Sinai Koimesis Icon

Diptych

A double Icon - made of two icons, usually hinged in the centre

Dmitar

Icon painter, 16th Century Macedonia

Dodecaorton

An icon representing the twelve major feasts of the Deesis

Doodotis

Christ Zoodotis - 'Giver of Life'

Doric

The firs order of Greek Architecture. Identified by a thick column, plain capital and no base to the column.

Dugento

A type of Italian Art

Dumbarton Oaks

Icon Collection in Washington DC, USA

Dura-Europos

Small fortified town on the Euphrates besieged by Parthians in 265. The Romans built en embankment of soil and rubble, preserving a 3rdC church and synagogue.

Ebagrius Scholasticus

d. 600. He reported that the 'Palium' image saved Edessa during the Persian siege of 544

Ebaragus Scholasticus

The first to describe Christ's image as an apotropaic symbol - from archeiropoeitos 'made without hands'

Edessa

Town on the Tigris

Eikon

Literally 'image' from the Greek 'Eikon'. Generally taken to mean a Holy Image - not necessarily a painted wooden panel, but includes all forms. Differentiated from religious art by the veneration awarded.

Ekphrasis

Work by Nicolaos Mesarites, a 12th Century writer who described the lost wall mosaic in the Church of the Holy Apostles at Constantinople

Eleousa

(Greek) Icon of the Virgin and Child where the baby Jesus presses His cheek against the cheek of His Mother.

Elijah Moscos

Icon Painter - 17th Century Italo-Greek

Emmanuel Tzanes

Icon Painter - 17th Century Italo-Greek

Emmanuel Tzanes Victor of Crete

Icon Painter - 17th Century Italo-Greek

Emmanuel Zanfurnaris

Icon Painter - 17th Century Italo-Greek

Encaustic

An ancient technique of mixing paint with hot wax

Ephraim Syrus

Monastic Writer

Epiphanios of Salamina

d. 403. Vehement in denouncing Religious painting Bishop of Salamis (Cyprus). In the fourth Century he tore down a holy image painted on a curtain

Episkepsis

'Overseer'

Epitaphios

Byzantine liturgical cloth used to cover the coffin of Christ for the Good Friday procession.

Eucharistic Synaxis

Mass.

Eudocia

Wife of Emperor Theodosius II. She sent an icon painted by Luke to Pulcheria, daughter of Emperor Arcadius, who lived in Constantinople until 453

Eusebius of Caesarea, Bishop

d.339. Writer of 'History of the Church'

Exarchate

The district remote from Constantinople presided over by a governor owing allegiance to the Emperor

Exedra

An open recess

Exonarthex

The outer narthex of a church, entered first

Extrados

Outer curve of the voussoirs of an arch, normally concentric with the intrados. Also applies to the upper surface of an arch or vault where visible.

Fayum

Settlement on the Nile Delta where the famous Roman funerary portraits were found

Fenari Isa Camii

the 'Monastery of Lips, Istanbul.

Fresco

A painting done in watercolour on wall or ceiling, usually while the plaster is still wet

Frigidarium

the Cold room of a Roman Bath

 

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February 20, 2000

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