Three churches with aniconic decoration in the Aegean islands reconsidered and a similar example in Crete

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Published: Mar 28, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/dchae.40805
Keywords:
Post-Byzantine period Architecture Aniconic paintings Decorative paintings Iconoclasm Aegean islands Ikaria Aniconic paintings, Iconoclasm, Aegean islands, Ikaria, Karpathos, Crete 17th century – Post-Byzantine period – icons – panels – Agios Nikolaos and scenes from his life – Baptism – Deesis – Koimesis - Agios Spyridon – Agios Ioannis the Baptist – painter – Emmanuel Skordilis – donors – Nikolaos Karditsis – Michael Gozzadinos – Alexandros Roussos – pirates – maritime trade – Aegean Sea – Crete – Cyclades – Kimolos – Melos – Sifnos
Klimis ASLANIDIS (Κλήμης ΑΣΛΑΝΙΔΗΣ)
Associate Professor, Technical University of Crete – School of Architecture
Abstract

Churches with aniconic painted decoration in the Aegean islands and Crete may be divided in two groups, with major differences between them. The first group may be related with Iconoclasm. The second group includes one church in Ikaria, two in Karpathos and one in Crete. The correct reading of the inscriptions of the church in Ikaria that is dated to the 17th century facilitates the understanding of the Post-Byzantine framework in which the remaining three churches of the group are integrated, leading to the conclusion that the view that there is an aniconic tradition in the Aegean throughout the entire Byzantine period should be reconsidered.

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