Freedom in Iconography and False Freedom

Iconography is a regulated art in both its form and content. As the icon is a visual expression of what the church teaches verbally, the painter works in accordance with authorized models. This ensures recognition and continuity. A striking feature of icon art is precisely that the idiom has changed so little over hundreds of years. But, at the same time, a traditional motif can be executed in many variations and will always bear the mark of the handiwork of each individual painter.