Video Conferences
An archive of recorded conferences, lectures, and discussions organized by Philip Davydov on contemporary iconography and the questions facing icon painters today.
A selection of books and publications for iconographers, gathered with the help and recommendations of our fellow iconographers. — 3 pages PDF file. Download →
A selection of digital exhibition catalogues devoted to Christian art, Byzantine and medieval traditions, and the wider history of sacred art.
An extensive digital collection of icons, manuscripts, liturgical objects, and archival materials from the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai.
An extensive digital collection of Serbian medieval frescoes, churches, monasteries with a large archive of high-quality photographs.
A richly illustrated resource on Byzantine and Post-Byzantine culture, architecture, churches, monasteries, frescoes, and medieval monuments, with a particular focus on the Balkans.
A major collection of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine art.
A photographic collection documenting the magnificent Byzantine-influenced mosaics of the Cathedral of Monreale in Sicily.
Information on the history, Christian art, symbols, and ancient frescoes of one of Rome's most important catacombs.
An English illuminated manuscript from the 12th century, presented online as a digital facsimile with detailed images of its pages.
A major exhibition catalogue devoted to Byzantine art of the Middle Byzantine period, with extensive scholarly essays and hundreds of illustrations.
A comprehensive study of Late Byzantine art and its influence across the Eastern Christian world, with particular attention to Late Byzantine and post-Byzantine iconography and artistic traditions.
A richly illustrated scholarly catalogue examining the artistic and cultural transformations of the Byzantine world from the seventh to the ninth century and its interaction with the emerging Islamic world.
An extensive study of medieval Armenian art and culture, with particular attention to Christian art, illuminated manuscripts, architecture, and Armenia's artistic connections with Byzantium and the wider medieval world.
We recommend Orthodox Tours for custom pilgrimages and educational journeys to the sacred sites of Early Christianity and Eastern Christendom, with a special focus on sacred art, Christian heritage, and history.
We recommend Giorgi Meskhi for guided journeys through Georgia, exploring its rich Christian heritage, ancient churches, monasteries, frescoes, and sacred sites.
Articles, essays, and publications on Christian art, iconography, sacred architecture, liturgy, and the history and theology of Christian imagery.
Online journal devoted to traditional Orthodox liturgical arts, covering visual arts, music, liturgical texts and ceremony, and relevant art history and theory.
Online journal devoted to the renewal and understanding of the sacred liturgy, with articles on liturgy, sacred art, architecture, music, and related subjects.
From a chapter of Cardinal Ratzinger's The Spirit of the Liturgy.
Does the architectural style of our churches influence the way we worship?
A reflection on artistic creativity as a gift and on the vocation of the Christian artist.
A discussion of the place and reception of Eastern Christian iconography in contemporary Protestant contexts.
An introduction to the iconological school Prosopon and its approach to the study and practice of iconography.
A study of the Byzantine icon as a multisensory and performative object, exploring how its material, light, sound, and ritual setting shaped the experience of the sacred image.
An exploration of the relationship between Byzantine manuscript culture and the digital book, considering how ideas about the image, the book, and the Logos can inform contemporary media.
A reflection on the nature and purpose of Christian icons and the relationship between iconography, faith, and the life of the Church.
An exploration of the purpose of images in Christian churches and the difference between decoration and the visual proclamation of faith.
A reflection on the relationship between form, tradition, and the changing visual language of Christian art.
Why can beauty become an obstacle? Philip Davydov examines the growing emphasis on visual perfection in contemporary church art and asks what happens when beauty, style, and technical skill begin to overshadow the image itself.
A reflection on the challenges, possibilities, and responsibilities of teaching iconography today.
A conversation with Serbian iconographer Todor Mitrovic about the relationship between sacred and secular art, the role of tradition, and the possibility of creating a living language for contemporary iconography.
Resources for practicing artists and iconographers, including pigments, painting materials, traditional techniques, and practical knowledge of the artist’s craft.
An essential practical guide to the materials, techniques, and processes of icon painting, written by Philip Davydov.
An instructional guide to the traditional practice and craft of icon painting by Iuliania (Sokolova). First publised: 1995.
by Robert L. Feller.
A series of short educational videos exploring historical pigments, painting materials, and techniques, including the use of egg tempera and oil paint.
An illustrated guide to the pigments, binders, metals, and other materials used by medieval and Renaissance artists.
In this tutorial, we show you how to gesso an icon board — preparing the traditional ground that the egg tempera painting will be built on. We walk you through the process step by step, sharing the practical details needed to get a smooth, stable surface ready for painting. A well-prepared gesso surface is the foundation of a good icon — it affects how the paint applies, how the colors read, and how the finished icon holds up over time.
Learn how to prepare and use egg tempera paint in just 5 minutes! In this quick, hands-on tutorial, we show you step by step how to mix pigment, egg yolk, and water to create traditional egg tempera — and how to apply it, covering everything you need to get started right away. Egg tempera is the traditional medium used in icon painting, and this video gives you the essentials in the shortest possible time.
In this tutorial, we show you how to varnish an egg tempera icon — the final step that protects the painting, deepens the colors, and gives the surface its traditional finish. We walk you through the process step by step, sharing the practical details you need to varnish your own egg tempera work with confidence. Varnishing is an essential part of traditional icon painting, and getting it right makes a real difference in how the finished icon looks and lasts over time.
An archive of recorded conferences, lectures, and discussions organized by Philip Davydov on contemporary iconography and the questions facing icon painters today.
