Christian iconography

Christian iconography is the visual vocabulary used to depict Christian figures, narratives, and beliefs. It includes recurring attributes, gestures, compositions, and symbolic objects.

Iconography: The study and use of images, symbols, and visual attributes to convey meaning. Christian iconography is one tradition within this broader visual language.
Christ Pantocrator: An image of Christ as sovereign ruler of the universe, commonly shown blessing and holding a book. This authoritative image became a defining type in Byzantine church decoration.
Early Christian art: Christian visual art produced from the late second century through the early medieval period. Its catacomb paintings and sarcophagi preserve early choices of image and symbol.
Iconostasis: A screen of icons separating the sanctuary from the nave in many Eastern Christian churches. Its arrangement turns iconographic images into a structured part of church worship.
Aniconism: The avoidance or prohibition of representational images in religious or cultural practice. Aniconic approaches mark a sharp alternative to traditions that use sacred figures.
Christian art: Art made to express, support, or engage with Christian belief and practice. Iconographic conventions operate across the wider body of Christian art.
The Good Shepherd: A Christian image of Christ as a shepherd who cares for and saves his flock. The motif translates Christ’s pastoral role into a recurring visual figure.
Byzantine art: The art of the Byzantine Empire, marked by courtly, liturgical, and Christian traditions. Byzantine churches and icons established influential conventions for sacred figures.
Altarpiece: An artwork or ensemble placed behind or above a Christian altar. Its figures and scenes are arranged to focus devotion around the altar.
Iconoclasm: The rejection or destruction of images, especially for religious or political reasons. Iconoclasm contests the legitimacy and use of Christian images.

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