Mystical Language of Icons

Mystical Language of Icons by Nes, Solrunn. Hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780854395842.

In The Mystical Language of Icons, the details of many of the most well-recognised icon paintings are explained motif by motif, for example the position of the hands and fingers, the use of a Greek letter and the significance of different colours. The author is a contemporary icon painter of international repute, and explains technique, function, form and meaning using examples of her own work. In addition to dynamic illustrations of icon making in practice, the book traces the development of this visual language within its specific cultural framework, offering a thorough historical and theological background to the tradition of Orthodox iconography.