Customer Reviews

An Iconographer's Patternbook: The Stroganov Tradition

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Fr. Kelley has done a great service of love in producing this text. It's very difficult to find English translations or productions of O/orthodox iconography (that's with both a little and capital O). There is a mixed blessing of interest in icons by the non-Orthodox. It's great that there is interest, but not so good that the theology behind the work is overlooked or minimized. It DOES make a difference in the final product.

Iconography is considered theology in color and light. One can infer the importance of this as Christ is considered 'the Light of the world'. That is why an icon is properly referred to as being "written" rather than "painted". An icon IS theology, not a representation of a theological idea. Just as in deep prayer or meditation, when one stands in front of a great icon, they are propelled beyond time and space to stand before the Divinity - one knows when that has occurred.

This is a good patternbook. That is in it's title and purpose. But to non-Orthodox it may simply be perceived as a religious "coloring book" - thinking that all one has to do is to paint in the colors.

If one knows the theology, techniques, and spiritual practice - the book is a great resource. If one want's to learn iconography - it is not good at all. The best process for learning is to study with a master, and even then there are 'pretenders'. If one cannot do that, I suggest a series of DVD's by VLADIMIR BLAGONADEZHDIN which are far beyond anything else I've found. They're not cheap, but well worth every cent and more.

This book also has some errors in placement which an untrained person might not catch. That is because many of the patterns are mirror-images, actually traced from original works. And these patterns have been traced and re-traced innumerable times over the centuries. The correct posture and stance can only be determined to be accurate if one knows the theology under-pinning the image. And as in photocopies, each copy-of-a-copy may deteriorate or stray from the original.