OrthodoxChristianity.net
May 25, 2013, 10:40:42 PM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: If you don't like the Lent theme or it's hard for you to read posts with it, feel free to revert back to the old theme in your profile on the left menu "Look and Layout Preferences."
 
   Home   Help Calendar Contact Treasury Tags Login Register  
OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Oriental Orthodox Discussion (Moderator: Salpy) > Topic: Coptic iconography - symbolism of colours
Pages: 1   Go Down
« previous next »
  Print  
Author Topic: Coptic iconography - symbolism of colours  (Read 723 times) Average Rating: 0
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Sleepyhead
Jr. Member
*
Offline Offline

Faith: Eastern Orthodox
Posts: 27
« on: January 13, 2011, 04:52:53 PM »
Hello OO posters!

I hope I have posted this in the right section. If not, moderators please move me to the right one.

My question pertains to Coptic iconography: I have noticed that in Coptic icons, both older frescoes (such as the Pantocrator at St. Anthony's Monastery in Egypt) and newer icons of Christ (in the neo-Coptic style) white often seems to be used for His inner robe and red for the outer one, whereas the EO iconographic tradition uses blue and red.

So, my question to you is: what exactly do these colours symbolise and for what reason do the OO's and EO's use different colours for what (please correct me if I am wrong) seems to be the same symbolism (divinity and humanity)?

(Edited for clarity)

I hope I haven't confused you too much. All answers are greatly appreciated. :]

Sleepyhead
« Last Edit: January 13, 2011, 05:12:22 PM by Sleepyhead » Logged
ialmisry
There's nothing John of Damascus can't answer
Megas Domestikos
**********************
Offline Offline

Faith: جامعي Arab confesssing the Orthodox Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church
Jurisdiction: Antioch (for now), but my heart belongs to Alexandria
Posts: 30,157
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2011, 05:58:20 PM »
Quote from: Sleepyhead on January 13, 2011, 04:52:53 PM
Hello OO posters!

I hope I have posted this in the right section. If not, moderators please move me to the right one.

My question pertains to Coptic iconography: I have noticed that in Coptic icons, both older frescoes (such as the Pantocrator at St. Anthony's Monastery in Egypt) and newer icons of Christ (in the neo-Coptic style) white often seems to be used for His inner robe and red for the outer one, whereas the EO iconographic tradition uses blue and red.

So, my question to you is: what exactly do these colours symbolise and for what reason do the OO's and EO's use different colours for what (please correct me if I am wrong) seems to be the same symbolism (divinity and humanity)?

(Edited for clarity)

I hope I haven't confused you too much. All answers are greatly appreciated. :]

Sleepyhead
Many (most?) icons of Christ post resurrection, He wears the same colors as the Coptic iconography.
Logged
Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; but if he did anything so that he may do it no more.
A hasty quarrel kindles fire,
and urgent strife sheds blood.
If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on it, it will be put out;
                           and both come out of your mouth
Sleepyhead
Jr. Member
*
Offline Offline

Faith: Eastern Orthodox
Posts: 27
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2011, 06:01:25 PM »
Thank you! it seems I might just be iconographically confused in general.
Logged
minasoliman
Mr., Sir, Dude, Guy, Male, tr. Minas in Greek, Menes in white people Egyptologists :-P
Toumarches
************
Offline Offline

Faith: Oriental Orthodox
Jurisdiction: Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America
Posts: 6,975


Pray for me, Sts. Mina & Kyrillos VI for my exams


WWW
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2011, 07:45:45 PM »
I'm not 100% sure, but I've been taught that Copts have used the red date of September to symbolize the Coptic New Year, red on the outside for the blood of martyrs and white on the inside for the purity of faith.

So perhaps, red could be a suffering that's coated around purity.  But I'm not entirely too sure.
Logged
Vain existence can never exist, for \\\"unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.\\\" (Psalm 127)

If the faith is unchanged and rock solid, then the gates of Hades never prevailed in the end.
Sleepyhead
Jr. Member
*
Offline Offline

Faith: Eastern Orthodox
Posts: 27
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2011, 07:43:18 AM »
That's interesting. Thank you, minasoliman!  Smiley
Logged
Tags: iconography Coptic Orthodox Church icons OO icons 
Pages: 1   Go Up
  Print  
OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Oriental Orthodox Discussion (Moderator: Salpy) > Topic: Coptic iconography - symbolism of colours
 « previous next »
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.18 | SMF © 2013, Simple Machines Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
Page created in 0.049 seconds with 32 queries.