Mastering Russian Icons - An Eggs-Cellent Artist

Being fond of watercolor, oil, and acrylic and after visualizing creations from my sister’s slap-stick-artwork-in-an-hour, I was marveled when learning the time and process it takes to create a religious Byzantine icon. Approximately “eighty hours” says one master painter.

Of the several local art shows attended this year, on its own and at most, were two submissions of this category of works. Byzantine icons are not eminent in the secular population, (or in my circle of friends). And after seeing the first painting, aghast at the details, I began asking others if they were familiar with religious iconography. Few said they had seen one but many had never heard of iconography.

What is Iconography?

Iconography means writing, drawing and image study, especially associating a religious subject in illustration. It originates from the Ancient Greeks and usually refers to design or creation of images, particularly describing and interpreting more about the content.

In the study of Christian icons one can learn about many holy Egyptian beings. They could represent Roman, early Christian, Buddhist or Hindu, Byzantine and Gothic iconography.

Greeks had a long history of making statues but later found them to glorify and praise human flesh - contradictory to honoring the spirit. The Romans disagreed with this measure and although the Roman Catholics still praise statuary today, they developed the Byzantine style of iconography.

Byzantine icon painting is dominated by sacred synopsis where position, grouping, balance and number are of major importance and are themselves, an essential part of the icon. This style of painting is associated with art of Europe’s middle ages and is also a required medium for creating Orthodox Judaism icons.

Louisiana artist and former board member of the Louisiana Art and Artists’ Guild, Christine Daunis deserves acknowledgment, once more, for her superlative Byzantine icon painting skills after only three years of study, distant workshop training by a Russian instructor and painting often. The medium she works with to create a religious Byzantine icon is called egg tempera. Christine utilizes dry ground color pigment, mixes it with egg yolk and water in order to manufacture paint.

Art penchant to the middle ages is undoubtedly a sacred writing that had to be learned by Christine. Although she began painting exceptionally well in her teens, the distant workshops climaxed her talent to award winning art. When asked about how this journey began, Christine replied “ I first saw a flyer for an acrylic workshop and thought it would be good if I could go but I can never afford to pay $400 for a workshop. Maybe I can learn how to do this on my own.”

After returning from her full-time career, Christine paints from her home studio two hours most nights. She begins by smoothing a wooden icon board then priming it with gesso (an Italian name for chalk). The board is then skillfully painted with brush strokes using the egg tempera and method learned.

Commenting on crosshatch brush strokes, Christine denies them any chance saying “brush strokes symbolize the artist's ego; so, there should not be any visible brush strokes.” When the time comes, gold leaf will be carefully and tediously applied. Lastly, to complete a Byzantine icon painting, Christine applies a transparent linseed oil.

For most icons, starting with the gesso board preparation, ongoing to the final oil application requires approximately eighty hours of technique. Overall, the paintings need more or less one full year to cure as the linseed oil drying time varies by humidity and region the icon is being painted in.

Christine adds that while she is tactfully working and following technique “ the whole idea behind the process of painting an icon is that it is one big prayer and if it isn’t approached with a prayerful stance, the icon will not reveal the truths of God’s manifestation to the world.”

While upholding her passion to prayerfully paint, Christine placed third in an art competition for Our Lady Of Tenderness painting, and an honorable mention for Saint Stephen. The Guardian Angel painting - Christine’s most perfect painting to date, placed first at the River Road National Show at the Louisiana State Archives Building.

Christine continues to uphold her painting skills while showing her works throughout the nation to group exhibits with other master iconographers. 

Egg tempera paintings still exist today from the first centuries AD and under proper conditions will not change color. Therefore, a Byzantine icon painting can be handed down in your family for years to come. To own a religious icon Christine says “means you are in the presence of the saint who is depicted in the icon. They are a means of praying about and contemplating the truths that are depicted in the icon. This is why they are the window into heaven.”