AND REVIEW

BY

BISHOP OF SHEBEEN AL KANATER AND EXTENSION

TRANSLATED BY : 

THE ENGLISH EDITION, 1996

THE COPTIC ART, ITS LEADING ROLE IN THE UNIVERSAL ARTS.

BY: FATHER YUSAB AL SYRIANY.

COVER PICTURE : FROM PIER DE BOURGUET BOOK

OTHER PICTURES FROM MR. NABIL SELIM’S BOOK: COPTIC ART - SCULPTURE, ARCHITECTURE.

FIRST EDITION 1995 AD

ANBA RUWEIS OFFSET, ABBASSIA, CAIRO.

TRANSLATION TO ENGLISH BY DRS. SAMIR & MAGED MIKHAIL.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

USA.

“And God saw that it was good”.[ Genesis 1: 10]

What a delight to observe the majestic things created by our God ?.

Man made also beautiful things.! All the believers join the rest of the creation in the praise and glorification of the Lord.

The Coptic art is distinguished by its deep roots, that goes back for thousands years. It followed the long lasting Pharaonic arts and antiquities. It was influenced by other arts, yet it kept its own distinct characteristics. Without any doubt it has been inspired by the Coptic spirit, its Orthodox beliefs and stayed in line, under the church’s theology, its language, history and rite.

I am completely gratified seeing a comprehensive book, written by my brother Father Yusab Al Syriany, dealing with the Coptic art. I congratulate him for the wonderful, and splendid effort that adds to the so many gifts he has, by writing about the Coptic art, its nature, relation and consequence on other arts

The author has an immense experience in this field, specially after his association with the professors at the University of Leinden in. Holland. He researched and covered many references, written in many languages about the Coptic art. He is highly skillful in creating and producing artistic icons, mosaic work, portraits and pictures, many of which filled some of our churches, monasteries in Egypt and abroad. God blesses his marvelous work.

Thanks be to the Lord, for this impressive work. We give thanks to Pope Shenouda III, Pope and Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the See Of St. Mark, in Egypt and abroad, whose support to the education of the monks, and discovering those among them, who have the ability and talent. With the help of the University of Leinden, in Holland, we have seen the fruits of their supervision and care. Again we thank Father Yusab, for the persistent effort and the superb work. God bless his enthusiasm for the benefits he extended to our beloved church in this field.

Samuel

By the Grace of God

Bishop of Shebeen Al Kanater and extension.

No creditable person can deny the principal role of the Church of Alexandria among the churches in the early era of Christian. The blood of its martyrs and confessors still revives its deeply rooted faith to our present time. The church then had the predominate responsibility in the Council of Nicea under the leadership of Pope Alexander and Deacon Athanasius, who wrote the Christian Creed. He defended the true faith, and faced a world full of heretic ideas. He stood up and victoriously led the world to safety. The Church of Alexandria maintained its leadership during the time of Pope Cyril and Theophilus. The Library of Alexandria at that time was the beacon of the old world as well as the Theological School, under Pentinus and Clement, Origen and Didimus. Monasticism was originated in Egypt, and the church was blessed by the prayers of Anba Paula, Anba Anthony, St., Makar and Anba Amon, Anba Bachom and Anba Shenouda the Archimandrite. The Coptic monasticism continued its leading role, and acted like the heart that pumps the blood to the rest of the body so it can survive. The body was the church. Monasticism in Egypt, had been always the resource that nourished the church. Monasteries produce richness in knowledge and provides libraries and manuscripts. Some of these monasteries became highly in the art of architecture, like the White and the Red Monasteries, built by the Archimandrite Anba Shenouda. Both monasteries show the most distinctive character of the Coptic art till our present time. Monasteries of St. Jeremiah at Saqqara, Anba Hydra in Aswan, Al Kashef in the Oasis and others have the similar features.

Art has a place in the monasteries. It is worth mentioning that specific arrangement of the icons in the Egyptian monasteries showed us how it was in the Christian world then. This is clearly observed about the icons in the Monasteries of Anba Anthony, Anba Paula in the Red Sea region and the recent discovery in the historic church in the Baramus Monastery.

The church never had a marginal role in arts, but rather a leading one, unfortunately the early models were destroyed along the years when the church was defending its faith.

Hopefully this book will stretch some light over the various characters that distinguish the Coptic art.

One strong reason behind publishing this book, is to amend the erroneous statements that frequently appear in some foreign references claiming the Coptic art as a subsidiary to the Byzantine art. This is absolutely unfair to the Coptic art.

In this publication I want to emphasize the authentic originality of the Christian art. Without any doubt, the Copts, were the first to create icons. Icons were known in Egypt before the beginning of Christianity. They were found in the portraits of Fayoum and Ikhmeem where the Copts used to keep them at their homes as they still do, up to our present time. At that time, only Egypt was the only country in the Christian world to have icons. Later the Copts illustrated, Lord Christ, Virgin Mary, St. George, Archangel Michael, beside the subjects of Ascension and entering Jerusalem etc. .The Coptic people, were artists by nature, they decorated their homes, buildings and the churches with tapestry, precious stone and religious pictures.

This is my primary aim that I want to express in this book, but it is also necessary to write in general about the Christian art and how it began in Jerusalem, Syria and Constantinople, etc.

At the end of this book, I included a concise chapter to deal with many elements created by the Copts, like decorative and architectural works beside other things.

I am in no position to claim an absolute fulfillment of my goal in writing this book, as its pages are limited, but tried to spread some light over the main subjects. Each subject, on its own, deserves a full scrutiny. It is just a beginning and a hope that I can achieve, as well as other researchers, to fulfill a duty to present the undistorted Coptic art. It would be the utmost gratification, to see some Copts, including monks researching the Coptic art. We mention with gratitude, the “cooperation program” between the University of Leinden in Holland and the Institute for Coptic Studies in Cairo, where many lectures were given there and in monasteries, promoting such researches. Professor Dr. Paul Van Maurel is fulfilling the goals of this cooperation that Dr. Hant began. Many lectures are conducted covering this subject in the institute in Cairo and some of the Egyptian monasteries.

My thanks to His Holiness Pope Shenouda III for giving me the opportunity to study the Coptic art at Leinden University. My thanks go also to H. G. Bishop Samuel who kindly reviewed this book, writing its introduction and providing some Arabic and Foreign references. I thank Monk Begaul Al Syriany together with the brethren who assisted me in publishing this book.

The Author

Those who review references of Christian art, find many models from the Coptic art. They may find entire chapters dealing with it. Famous museums and universities from all over the world, even these in small towns, are loaded with pieces from the Coptic arts. Prestigious museums like the Louvre in Paris, and other great museums, designate sections, devoted entirely to the Coptic art, that give pride to the Egyptian visitors reminding them of their heritage. The same is true in the museums of Berlin, the Metropolitan of London and the Royal Museum in Belgium. All of them contain many magnificent and perfect models of the original Coptic art.

Among these abundant models, there are many pieces of tapestry made by the Copts who were known for their achievement in that particular art from the second to the sixth centuries. Pieces of sculpture made from stone, marble, ivory and metal are exhibited together with other church articles. All of these were made by Copts who acquired a distinctive industrial styles.

The Coptic art is original, and has its own identity with distinctive characteristics, that grew and excelled in a short period.

It is a popular people’s art that was raised and became a cultivated knowledge among the general public.

This art, in spite of its distinct individuality, progressed with belief among its people. Its artistic structure was adjusted through the different ages, that one historian stated, “Their popular heroes were dressed in different costumes, from an old Egyptian dress to a classical Greek over garment, with many colors taken from the Persian and Indian’s styles.”

Some elements in the Coptic arts came from other arts through the political and commercial connections. In Alexandria, because of its unique location, the artists, were influenced by the Greek and Roman arts. They adopted and later modified the crowns which they put on the pillars after eliminating its Roman features. They took also from the Byzantine and the Persian arts. Regardless, the Coptic art kept its essential Coptic and national identity and kept its characteristics intact.

As the Coptic art reached its significant level, the prestigious universities condensed their interest by establishing different departments, to study and research it. Higher academic and specialized graduate studies were established together with granting academic degrees for the researchers. The Department of History at Leinden University in Holland, for example established such studies and I was personally privileged to be among the Egyptian monks who attended there. While we were there, we attended the representation of Dr. Karl Enemee about the “Clerical dress in Egypt and Nubia”, for which he was granted the Ph. D. degree with honor.

There is a similar department at the University of Monster, Germany, chaired by Professor Kravse that has strong ties with the University of Leinden and both share the same interest in Coptic studies. On June, 1990, at The University of Monster, Father Samuel Al Syriany, now Bishop Samuel, lectured explaining the different phases of Coptic architecture for the Coptic churches of Egypt. The author, lectured on the Coptic art of the Seventeenth Century. Among the attendees was our Professor Doctor Gawdad Gabra the director of the Coptic Museum in Cairo.

Universities all over the world, usually have similar departments and they send students and researchers to Egypt to visit the places on site. Had the Coptic art continued its path and wasn’t stopped, it would have reached much better status.

Prof. Dr. Goodleveski, the chairman at the University of Warsaw in Poland, is among the supporters who appreciate the Coptic art.. By the same token, Professor Doctor Indre Grober of the University of Paris published a book on icons and designated a great part of of the book to the Coptic art.

We have to remember the late Prof. Dr. Pier De Borjier, the director of the Coptic section at the Louvre Museum, who extensively published books and articles on the Coptic art. Among his publications, is a 700 page volume that dealt only with tapestry. This book is considered to be on the top in its kind.

It is worth mentioning that Dr. Borjier, made a model for himself to see first hand, how the Copts used the machine in knitting tapestry and getting the knowledge of the technical methods in the early centuries. We specified a whole chapter about tapestry.

Worldwide, there are numerous publications which deal with Coptic arts because of the highest interest in studying the Coptic art academically. This interest became a priority among many universities studying all related Coptic subjects of the Twentieth Century.

For its merit, the Coptic art was able to accommodate all people and to adjust to their world. It found a place, in palaces of eminent people and proved its presence. It showed its importance, when it expressed subjects from the Bible, not to be hanged on the walls, but to shine spiritually on them. The artists expressed the strong faith, which survived all materialistic environments that prevailed all over the world. The Coptic art, before it lost its brightness in the nineteenth century, contributed generously not only to Egypt, but to all the world, whether Europe or the East, with a fresh beautiful look, establishing new dimensions in the Christian faith that united the earth with heavens.[Pier De Borjier]

As an art in good standing, the Coptic art has successfully met the contemporary artistic concerns. It radically reached the understanding of how to change without loosing its general elements. It acquired new directions where decoration became prominent. This may be due to the new developments, but in fact it chose the best contemporary direction, thus produced valuable work from time to time.

Accordingly, the Coptic art was able to transfer many of the Eastern-Greek works to Europe. It even revived some of the forms to adjust according to the need of the people and still is used in the rural art in all Europe [Pier De Borjier]

In spite of the fact that Coptic artists were inspired by some work of ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Byzantine and Indians, yet they didn’t abundant their heritage nor the principles of their traditional art except rarely.

The Coptic artist illustrated subjects from the Greek and South East Asia in a new simple style characterized by a pure Coptic fashion.

The Coptic art was inspired mainly from the public than from the authoritative class and covered the way of their thinking particularly after the conquests of Alexander the Great. These conquests connected and mixed the corners of the East and brought new philosophies, particularly the Platonic philosophy to Alexandria. People didn’t limit what was visible to be the only proof for existence, but also for the unseen things. This became the new concept which applied too in arts. Expression and formation opened the way for a simple art that depended on what is seen and what is not. As Christianity acknowledges the incarnation of God, the Coptic art paved the way to make understandable the theory for what is seen and what is not.

Thus Egypt acquired more creditability over other countries in this popular art which was embraced by the people, yet not supported by the rulers. It was a real picture of actual life, without consideration to the third dimension, that was seen as a barrier between what was touchable and what was free.

The craftsmen, who were guided by an old faith, continued within their path, following the steps of their ancestors, and adjusted their work to be under one thought of knowing the unseen through what was seen.

This added some essential changes, abandoning the referred and adopting, blooming characteristics gradually, that were not acquired by either geographical nor social and environmental events. This was augmented, by the fact that monasteries, then, controlled Christianity in Egypt, particularly during the growth of the Coptic art between the third and eighth centuries.

Possibly, the Coptic art, could have prosperously continued to improve with time, to much higher level than what it achieved before, but with the Arab conquest, it met bitter surroundings.

With the Arab conquest, Coptic art didn’t develop nor flourish and the ties between the Egyptian Coptic Church and the rest of the Christian world were weakened. So it is impossible to characterize the Coptic art of that period that followed the eighth century as a Coptic art. It may be more appropriate to describe it as an art by the Copts, or to put it accurately as “the Christian side of the Arabic art.”

With limited freedom left for this art, it continued to struggle to survive with what was remaining or what was permitted for it. In its struggle it neglected the symmetry and this tainted the art during its Arabic stage of life. However, this didn’t stop it from inspiring some vitality to insure its survival by resisting the conquerors, even by trying to attract them to the art, till it reaches a modern appearance.

There are three stages for the Coptic art:

1- The Vigilant Stage.

2- The stage of Completeness. ( Coptic)

3- The Stage of Expansion. (art of the Copts)

The success of the Pharaonic art seemed to be a product of an old vision, old as humanity itself. It grew and flourished then it was modified by the events of ancient Egypt. A vision where the eye is connected to things by a spontaneous and strong link. It goes through from their exterior to the full depth without bothering with the details for a while, to comprehend the principal concept. The beauty of this vision may not be described by lines and relevancy as much as it reflects the nearest picture of life from the lines, surfaces, and sizes of the objects.

This was an effective and dominant element in the history of ancient Egypt, that elevated Alexandria to the peak, when responded to the Coptic art, following a dormant period under the sovereignty of the Greco-Roman art. It didn’t offer more than it could, except under the influence of the religion that claimed kings as gods. This conception, of bonding the king with a god, in a natural, obligatory connection, supported the two elements of the art, namely what is seen and what is not. If a king came and had no Egyptian blood and dissociated from previous families, he would be considered as a representative to the gods and not as a son to them. He would loose the ability to lift up his people, as he had no divine claim. This becomes a loss to the art itself and without the deep inspiration, becomes concerned with the superficial aspects of life, in contradistinction to the previous ages, where the art shined with masterpieces that reached the extreme completeness, as it was expressing the unseen through what was seen.

The Coptic art thus was an objective art, yet it didn’t loose its popularity. As an art of common people, it left behind great collective works. And participated individually according to each one’s ability. It was a committed art that led man to proceed courageously with greatness and grace, without ignoring the reality of everyday events.

The variation and similarity in the shapes determined an identity from the unity of the Coptic Egyptian art, that led to some obscurity in understanding this art, and made it difficult for many to appreciate its substance.

The purpose of talking about the Pharaonic art is to clarify its principal effective role in building the Coptic art, beside another effective factors from the Greek Roman civilization. These factors were capable to produce a beautiful art by skilled hands, that left the Copts with credible heritage. This makes every Copt feels to be proud as a true Egyptian.

Only after the Arab conquest, that the word “Copt” was created. It simply meant the people of Egypt. It also identified every thing related to them as religion, language and art, to be Coptic. The word itself is the original Egyptian name in the city of Menph “Ha-Ka-Ptah” a name of the temple of Ptah in Memphis. The name of Memphis the capital was used also to include all Egypt, the same as the present custom. It used to be “Egyptos”, a Greek word. When this name was arabized they dropped the first letter that was taken as a definition letter like the word “the”, also the last letter. The word became Gypt that turned Kept. and was used to identify the Christian Egyptians, than the country itself.

Here we need to understand how the Coptic art became an identity with its specific characteristics. We have to comprehend the various factors that contributed to its formation.

Alexandria was the contact point for the Greek and Roman civilizations, and where their artistic work developed. It is logic to find the conquered people by Alexander the Great and later by the Romans Empire, were influenced by the conquerors in their culture, views, traditions and stories.

The Egyptian religions inherited from the Pharaohs were weakened by the Romans and the Greeks stories, particularly during the Ptolemy’s time. The old Egyptian religions and its Pharaonic stories gradually faded and were replaced by Greek and Roman tales. Once these accounts appeared in Alexandria, they spread to the rest of Egypt, to “Anthonewa” (Sheik Abada) and Al Ashmunayn. Soon these Greek stories with Alexandrine taste, were mixed with similar Greek stories that came from Syria and Tadmor. [possibly through Christians, craftsmen or Roman fighters, who emigrated to Egypt].

At the beginning, the Coptic art looked like any other art within the rest the Christian world, however, by the end of the fourth century it became different from the Syrian art and used different styles.

In spite of the spread of Christianity and the destruction of the pagan statues of the Greek - Roman era, by the Copts, by the end of the fourth century, yet the artists were still strongly influenced by the Hellenic style. They even copied some pagan scenes in the early Coptic era.

Some of the stories, were indecent, with Hellenic and Alexandrine art that showed the luxury of that time. Some of this Hellenic work of the third and fourth centuries was pleasant and admirable.

Among the subjects which came from Alexandria and Bachus, particularly the pictures of Dionisius and Ardiani or those topics covering Nile [Nilos, the god of the Nile] or those of Hercules, the birth of Aphroditi, the stories of Apollo, Daphni, Lida, rural scenarios, the little love angels, or the winged boys and the knights of [19] and Sassan .

Some early Coptic artists used pagan stories in their sculpture on wood metal and textiles, as they were deeply influenced by the surrounding Greek - Roman art, with its magnificent scenes. They used them to decorate the edges of their buildings and its balconies. One should remember that in the early stage of Christianity, people didn’t comprehend fully the Christian concept.

People being new to Christianity, didn’t grasp they didn’t realize at the same time the resentment of Christianity to indecency for a while. Later when Christianity was declared by Emperor Theodosius, as the official religion of the land, the people gradually understood fully the principles of the Christian religion. The artists gradually followed the new morals and that took sometime.

Accordingly, the Christian art receded from the Greek - Roman art and turned to objects, which expressed clearly the realities of the Christian beliefs with honesty in seeking the Kingdom of God.

The merits of Egypt were reflected on the Christian art, purifying it from some of the symbols of the past and followed the Christian way that was adopted by the churches and the fathers who responded in using the ancient philosophy to benefit the faith. The Christian art inherited the best of the old tradition and what was available and replaced it to Christian realities. Thus the Christian art became in essence a modification to many theories that covered the local civilization, tradition, religion beside what was concurrent.

An Example:

A statue or a drawing of a shepherd carrying a load on his shoulders and standing amidst the sheep. This was popular in the pagan Roman art used as an emblem for good will. This was changed quickly to a Christian symbol. The shepherd became to The Lord Christ, “The Good Shepherd”. Similarly another picture was for a person, standing, raising his hands and

Symbol for the good shepherd

praying. It represented the Roman righteousness, but with the arrival of Christianity, it became one of its symbols. A philosopher was portrayed sitting, holding a bundle of paper was used during the Christian era, to represent the Lord Christ, the True Philosopher and the Source of Holy Wisdom. The same was repeated with his disciples who spread the wisdom. Thus the three old scenes representing, good will, righteousness and wisdom were used intelligently to serve the Christian faith.

As the Egyptians embraced Christianity, they looked to the church, for guidance and education in their Christian belief. With the new freedom, the Christian art grew and the craftsmen and labors rushed into it creating new excellent subjects. Consequently many responded to this perception by creating big collections of pictures from the New and old Testaments.

Many illustrated manuscripts from the Gospel became plentiful during this period, [between the fourth and fifth centuries], some of which were received at a later date, like the Rapaula Manuscripts from Syria and the Cottongensies etc.

Simple models and manuscripts appeared with plain drawings more readily than pictures and mosaic in churches. Some historians believe that the mosaic pictures and the church wall paintings in Rafna and other places were inspired by the manuscripts at that time.

In Alexandria, because of its site, the environment was different than the rest of the country. It was where the original Greek-Roman art was changed to the Coptic style while keeping some of its taste at least in the early time. Elsewhere, the national employees and the rich farmers were more conservative than the intellectuals of Alexandria, and succeeded to define new features for the Coptic art.

2- STAGE OF COPTIC COMPLETENESS.

The early changes in decoration and drawing became noticeable round the middle of the fifth century. For a short time, some art pieces showed a combination of Christian and pagan symbols together, but later pagan pictures were entirely replaced with pure Christian symbols.

Without doubt, monasticism had undeniable role in this diversion, Monks and some artists, stopped the trend of copying the pagan Alexandrine art to their churches. The Byzantine art which was conceived in the Holy Land, the birth place of the Lord Christ, was adopted instead. Monasticism was also growing there.

Christians looked at Alexandria and its art as an animated Hellenic thinking and a pagan art, thus monks and devout people tried since the fifthe century to decorate theit churches with Christian Byzantine art. [as mentioned by the universal references and the words of Pier De Borjier]. They rejected the Alexandrine art with its pagan character, despite its artistic abilities. However the Alexandrine art did contribute to the Coptic art by supplying important elements of symbolism. It was used in all Eastern Churches till the fourth century before being replaced by historical subjects taken from the Holy Books.

A representation stage of symbolism in the Christian art.

Finally the Coptic art became the art of Christian Egypt in expressing religion or subjects from the regular life-span. It acquired general new symbolism’s of Christian Style in every subject with new beautiful inspirations. Many exhibitions were installed and became full with craftsmen’s work. The artists respected the new style which elevated it to be a great art, used in buildings, sculpture and paintings.

Contrary to the Greek and the Roman arts, the Coptic art wasn’t an architectural decoration. The Coptic sculptor used to put his product haphazardly in any place in the building as he pleased. He used to put mosaic in decorating pillars without any architectural rule.

This was only an unrestricted stage for this art which acquired incentives and capabilities and availability and it seemed as if the artists had to express themselves without restriction. They were concerned with ideas only and not with the overall appearance, ignoring comparative sizes etc. also avoided large spaces as if their thoughts may be disrupted.

The artist thought he might reach his goal of dimensions by using different big sections than by following proportion. This defined the features of the art.

For some, it looked like the features of the Byzantine art, but this wasn’t the case as it proved its independence and its tendency to modification. This assured its unique character.

The Coptic art in reality achieved many great works by people who looked for idealism and were able to translate realities to practicalities. It assured its individuality and produced extensive work in decor and tapestry, and successful stood among the contemporary arts, preserving the essence of Christianity. Even with the Arab conquest, it didn’t disappear, but didn’t progress much as one would have hoped.

The art stayed the same till the twelfth century and many archeological experts thought that it was about to die within a century. They based their assumption on its adherence to the Greek art at one time that in their views would kill its originality. That was a wrong assumption and later, these scientists abandoned their previous judgment when they found that the art survived the Arab rule.

After the Arab conquest, during the middle ages, the Coptic art had no chance to regenerate. It was influenced by the early Islamic works in and outside Egypt. It is certain that a number of Copts craftsmen shared in building the Mosques of the Dome of the rock and Al Aqsa, the Great Mosque in Damascus and Samara, west of Baghdad. They even inserted some Coptic units in the decoration of these mosques.

Thus the Coptic art began as a popular art, then became a decorative work during its time. It tried to meddle with the surrounding circumstances but continued to follow the Pharaonic art. Despite the Hellenic occupation, it kept its Pharaonic inheritance but was stimulated by the Nubian art. It also provided the Islamic art whether in or outside Egypt with some of it properties.

It also produced a kind of marvelous imagination, that pushed decoration ahead of the subject itself, something similar to what modern pieces of art have.

The Coptic art itself was like a beautiful icon, as if it was made by a creative artist. It was full of motion and affection, inspired by the effect of different events, through his own imagination.

The Coptic art had a unique mission, not attained by others through the years. It was used by common people, utilizing poor materials and not sponsored by any sovereignty or art centers, yet it succeeded and achieved personal special styles. It was supported by the monks and the church, to whom it reciprocated, by giving them its best. With this strong qualifications it influenced the Byzantine world as a whole. This was the level of excellence the Coptic art reached in the Seventh century when it stood with world’s arts and was recognized by its mastery as an acknowledged fine art. Regretfully, few scholars judged it unfairly.

It is obvious how this art was flexible and became interacted with literature at that time, without any zealot or egotism. Coptic illustrations, during this golden time, retained serious-mindedness that characterized the few Alexandrine subjects it covered, as it did also in tapestry, bronze decoration, carved or wooden art. Similar Alexandrine industrial pieces flooded the market, accompanied with decorated tales, inspired from Denisius, Apherdoiti and others. Christianity didn’t shy away from these subjects that were considered literature. Other Christian and Oriental subjects appeared briefly in the Coptic art till the Arab conquest.

Accordingly, this book: expresses firmly the different fields of the Coptic art, and how it grew while it was encircled by many violent events, under repeated heavy burdens, till the Holy Spirit, effectively helped the long overpowered people.

At the beginning, the land of Egypt was in the hands of the Pharaohs, then fell to by the Greek, followed by the Romans at the time when Christianity arrived. Egypt was then, under the Byzantine rule, as the rest of the Christian world. Tremendous number of churches were built in capital of the empire, but only few outside it. Among the unique churches that were built at that time in Egypt, were in the Mariut Desert. Some remnants of these churches were found near the Monastery of St. Mina.

These churches were built sporadically, in different styles in a dissociated pattern. That was the early Coptic art then, as Christianity was in its infancy, and was still a mixture or a combination of idols and Christianity, guided only by their limited experience. It was also mixed with Greek, Roman and Pharaonic styles. For example, the Egyptian and Roman funerary illustrations were found side by side to Pharaonic plaster. Many tombs in Alexandria, Tuna El Gabal, near Al Ashmunayn, and in some churches were built like semi rocky temples, with many illustrations of Roman and Egyptian styles. In the Exterior Oasis, we find in the dome of the Exodus Church, some tiny illustrations, presenting about twenty stories from both the New and Old testaments as well as for martyrs in a casual way, far to be considered an art.

After the Byzantine influence faded, the art began gradually to find its way in establishing churches with a real Egyptian art. During this period, the Coptic Patriarchs in Alexandria freely managed their own affairs.

Monasticism then emerged and flourished and was proud of its martyrs and saints. It was and still considered as a death from the world, with an approach to God to live with Him. Many men lived in monasteries and women lived in convents where artistic works appeared, with a common character, inspired by the new role for the Patriarch of Alexandria, as defined by the Apostolic Pope Athanasius and Pope Cyril. The position of the Coptic Patriarch at that time was the most eminent among other papal seats around the world, including Rome, Jerusalem and Constantinople.

There is no doubt that political and religious independence paved the road tremendously in front of the early Coptic art. Most of the monks were from the core of the Egyptian people and its farmers. They were filled with national and religion inspirations and were capable to free the art from the Greek, Roman and even the Pharaonic ties, establishing the initiation of the Coptic art.

With time the craftsmen, blessed by their deep faith, pursued the way that brought them to the golden era of the Coptic art. Had this continued, it would have reached the ability of a fine art that matured in its style and character in a short time, less than three centuries.

This Coptic period was between the Roman-Greek-Egyptian, [not far from the Pharaonic], one side and the Islamic period on the other side that extended between the fourth to the seventh centuries. The period to the twelfth century was an unclear and full of obscurities and was responsible of the loss of important stages within it. It’s obscurity was mainly due to an interrupted chain of events in the history of the Egyptian art and loosing many links.

This book accordingly, will follow series of steps showing the growth of this art and its path from its start, recording what was there and what disappeared, talking about these masterpieces that are exhibited on the walls of museums around the world.

Before we talk about the Coptic art which is an extension of the Christian art as whole, it is necessary to discuss the origin of the Christian art itself, its sources and how it started and developed. It is important to find out how the Christian artists were inspired in selecting the work subjects and how this marvelous art was born. Was it conceived by chance ? or it went through numerous stages before it saw the light. There are indications, that it was born to grow, to express the ultimate religion of all.!

We will refer also to the early subjects used in the Christian art that were frequently mentioned by the historians.

King of “Alreha”, Odessa, who became sick with many ailments, sent a messenger to the Lord Christ after he heard about His wonderful miracles He asking the Christ to come and heal and to be able to see His majestic face. The God of glory, put a handkerchief on His face and His holy Picture was printed on it. When the king received the handkerchief, he kissed it and put it on his face and he was cured instantly. This story circulated in the old days and was mentioned by Eusabius the Cesarean in his autobiography in the third century. Abu Nasr Yehya, a. Christian Arab writer, mentioned that he saw himself the handkerchief at St. Sophia in 1058 AD.

Whether this story was true or not, the point behind it, indicates that there was a picture for the Lord Christ, in the early days of the dawn of Christianity. This is also what the next story points to.

Ausapius, a historian, mentioned about the woman in the Gospel, that our Lord Christ, cured her from her bleeding. She put an illustration on the door of her house, picturing the glorified Lord, while she was bowing at His feet. It is believed that the Lord must permitted her to do that. Such events, probably were an inspiration in making such icons.

Eusabius in his book “The Church’s History” reported, “I have seen many pictures for our Savior, Peter and Paul, that were preserved to this day”. He described in details the illustration he saw in the town of Pias, in Palestine where the woman with the blood flow was made, as was mentioned earlier.

It was reported that St. Luke himself, a talented artist who once illustrated the Virgin Lady, carrying the Christ as a child and the churches copied it later. Father Vanslip, a historian mentioned that he saw an old icon for the Archangel Michael in the Cathedral in Alexandria, said to be painted by St. Luke.

The Christian art was seen also in the first century in the burying areas known as the “Catacombs”.

These were dugout cellars or bunkers made to bury the poor in the Roman Empire. The rich used to be buried in tombs made from marble or designed stone

When these cellars get full, they used to dig the earth for more space, and sometimes at different levels, one above the other. Their openings were closed by strips of marble or stone, on them the name and possible the occupation of the deceased were written.

They acquired great importance because of the illustrations, that went back to the second and third centuries and later. These were very common during the time of the Roman Empire. Many were found outside the walls of the old city of Rome, as it was customary to bury the dead outside the city. Others were discovered in Alexandria, in the district of “Kom Al Shawqaffa”, decorated with illustrations, most of which were not for Christian. In one place a picture for the Lord Christ, crushing serpents under His feet was found on a wall. This particular picture didn’t gain fame like others. We will talk about icons later in this book.

Only recently some similar cellars were discovered at King Mariut, near Alexandria and also in the regions of “Kartaganah”. Such cellars must exist in places where digging was not difficult. Places like Cairo and in Delta were not considered fit for digging. It was also customary to prepare these places in areas accessible to people and relatives of the deceased where they can sit and rest, on occasions and anniversaries.

One of the most popular illustrations they painted the walls of these cellars, was the picture of the Good Shepherd, carrying a sheep on his shoulder and surrounded by others on his right and left, with a view of trees in the background. Originally it was a pagan idea but was modified during the Christian era.

Subjects were like, Lazarus, the three youth in the inferno, and throwing Jonah in the sea and Noah, his ark, the Lord Christ with Paul and Peter, the Lord and the Samaritan woman, Moses and crossing of the Red Sea, Samson and the Palestinian, Samson killing the lion or the lion beside him surrounded by the bees, the women with the blood flow, Jonah, Adam, Eve, Moses and the rock, Daniel in the den of the lions and Peter denying the Lord Christ with the rooster etc.

It is interesting to find some of these subjects were illustrated in a symbolic way, for example, a drawing of fish in a basket of bread, referring to the miracle of the five loafs of bread, and the two fishes. They also symbolize the Christ’s Body and Blood.

It is worth mentioning that among the pictures in these catacombs were illustrations picturing many individuals sitting at a table, but their number didn’t correspond to the number of the apostles in the last supper, as it was only meant in remembrance to the deceased.

This will lead us to talk about the tombs of the deceased themselves, namely the sarcophagus.

These are the coffins in which the rich were buried and were made from stone, some were carved, others were not As Christianity spread gradually and only recognized as an official religion by the third century, we find that the same makers who did the pagan styles were the same who carved the tombs with Christian objects. Accordingly, we find that the same crafts people manufactured the caskets for both the pagans and the Christians. There was a big mixture between the styles for the sarcophagus and the catacombs.

In general, we can differentiate between the old and the more recent by the style of carving and the design of the scenery. Originally, these were separated from each other by architectural pillars and the others by plants and trees.

What is important here is that they carried Christian characters since the third and the fourth centuries. We also notice that the subjects were the same, on the tombs as those in the catacombs, like the complete story of Jonah or getting out of the whale beside similar stories as the woman with the blood flow and the miracle of changing the water to wine , the cure of the blind, the blessing of the five loaves and the two fishes, Daniel in the den with the lions and raising Lazarus, the three wise men presenting their gifts, Christ the child beside the Virgin and the good shepherd.

Models. from the Christian art on the tombs

Some of these illustrations, showed the Lord Christ with a beard, others without one and some having long hair. On occasions, there would be a picture of the deceased appearing together with his wife in a snail or “mondorla” or corona. The features in some pictures did not have clear features, as these tombs usually were built ahead and ready to be used for burial in a harry with no time to define the features of the deceased

The beginning for the illustration of the cross on the tombs.

Visitors returning from the Holy Land used to take with them from Jerusalem a box filled with recollection items like some dust or gravel from the places they considered holy. On its cover some events that happened in this Holy Land were illustrated. In its middle there is the crucifixion icon showing Christ stabbed by the guard and the Virgin Mary leaning down and Joseph the carpenter putting his hand on his cheek. Another picture is for the Child Christ in the manger and above there is a window similar to the one in the Nativity Church in Jerusalem, a cow and a donkey around. Also another icons for the Baptism and ascension.

The cover of the box

These pictures shows the sites of the church of Jerusalem, as was built by King Constantine and Queen Helena, some changed occurred since and it still exists to our time. These old pictures were very well made and had enormous effect on the Christian art as a whole and became very popular that were copied frequently.

One of these boxes is preserved in the Vatican Museum that goes back to the fifth and early sixth centuries. [580 - 600]

In the fifth and the sixth centuries, Jerusalem as the rest of the holy places, people used to sell visitors, metallic containers filled with water from the Jordan river, to take back to their countries..

These containers have illustrations on both sides representing stories from the holy land. On one side there would be a cross and the resurrection and on the other side, there were seven illustrations about nativity, the life of Lord Christ on earth, the annunciation, baptism, miracles, resurrection and the ascension.

A picture of a model of Monza vessel

It also carried the meaning of the icon in the early phase of the Coptic art. As an example, for the Nativity Icon, the Virgin Mary appeared with the manger taking a shape of a building with a small window, similar to what the visitors saw at the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem at that time. In the resurrection icon and the holy tomb looked like a building, resembling Resurrection Church building at that time. We found the same subjects in other illustrations of the same period.

These vessels extended from Jerusalem to the rest of the Christian world. Many pieces are found in many museums and are known as the vessels of Monza, a city in Italy which has a big collection of them.

The icon is a message, that has an effective teaching role. It has a deep power on the church’s life, worship and homage. Its simple colors are the spoken words that declare and explain the Gospel. They clarify the teaching of the church and lift the believer’s hearts towards eternal life.

The Gospel is also a Divine Icon, illustrated by the Holy Spirit, informing us, in a human language, about the Divine Love, salvation and our acceptance to His eternal glory. Its strength is not in writing but in its deep spirituality which attracts the soul to live with God.

Icons are an open Gospel which is open to all, and are written in universal simple colors. Their aim is to fortify our link with the Holy Triad. They pull the souls to beyond this world and represent events from the Old and the New Testament, to show our relations with heaven and the angelic beings. They stimulate our zeal towards the glory of heaven, explain many mysteries from the Holy Book, as well as their spiritual meanings. In reality, I need more space than what is available to me in this book to write and talk about the icons from the Old Testament. The Karuba of the tombs and the copper serpent are some of these subjects. From the New Testament, we have the Divine incarnation, the manifestation of God Himself on earth in a visible way, as an individual that could be illustrated, beside His life on earth that could be inspired on icons as well as expressing them in writing.

We mentioned King Abgar, king of Odessa and St. Luke, who illustrated St. Mary and the child Christ, to stress that different artworks were known from the dawn of history and before Christianity. The Pharaohs were the first to initiate art that excelled to perfection. What testimony can be stronger than what they left to us, all over our land.

All the marvelous colored illustrations the Greek and the Romans left in Egypt, show how important the art was then. Countless art pieces, particularly those in mosaic, plastered pictures which were created by artists from these two periods, were discovered. Some of these pictures illustrating stories and tales were found in the exhibition of the priest “Beth Oziros” in Tuna Al Gabal in Malwi.

This art’s trend didn’t stop, but rather continued during the Coptic era, that made some changes, due to the religion change from that which was inherited from their forefathers. They kept some symbols to be used in religious pictures that without doubt resembled the old Egyptian pictures.

It was necessary to maintain the important role for the icons in spite of the objection of the early church fathers. The new church leaders re-approved their use to simplify the understanding of the Christian beliefs at the early stage of Christianity. Icons helped not only the new religion, but also in abandoning idolatry and the worshipping of the emperors. Icons were permitted again to illustrate Lord Christ, St. Mary, the apostles and saints of different periods.

The idea behind these illustrations was to teach these simple common people at their level of understanding, what the Holy Bible offered. Sanctifying pictures led later to arguments and even wars.

In the art of religion, a man’s picture is a historical document, but can’t replace an icon. People and holy events are represented by the icons as a chronicled events for time and creation, “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” [Romans 8 : 21].

The new heaven and earth for the second creation were represented in the icons. Even mountains, rocks, desert, fields, trees and buildings reflected some light in the new time. Eternity itself began in the icons. The subjects of nature and creation were liberated from its bondage to the laws of time. The creatures, illustrated in icons didn’t represent the true feelings nor characters. The association between the saints and the beasts illustrated in the icons, was similar to that between Adam and the creatures displayed in heaven, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them” [Isaiah 11 : 6] ; “they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” [Isaiah 11 : 9].

Tapestry from the Coptic Period

From that hour, there was no hurting to the creatures, as hyena would bow by its head to the ground, would be kneeling, bending its claws and looking up and down.(St. Maqarius of Alexandria)

“Afterwards, blessed Bachume learned to trust God, that on many occasions he crushed serpents and scorpions without harm and whenever he crossed a river, the crocodile that carried him to his destination”. [St. Pachome Abbot of Tabenne and the Crecosiles and the Saints. - Waddell]

Pleasure and joy of earthy nature were not represented in icons, only the permanent joy of eternal life, that doesn’t fade. The icon is a mirror for the established peaceful life, it is the hearty prayers of the saints. It is the Holy Spirit describing the holiness and beauty of the coming eternal life of the Kingdom of God.

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adoring of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, is that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the slight of God of great price.” [I Peter : 3 : 3,4]

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” [Philippians 4 : 8]

The mysteries of the sanctification of the church are transmitted through signs and forms, which are the language icons. Symbolism helps to understand the subjects in depth in an artistic way. Icons express events as if they happened at the present time. For example, the temptation of the Lord Christ was and still considered as a going event. Individuals and the holy events in their eyes were not limited by time, but related to every period, for everyone and thus the events in the Gospel, were seen as if they were occurring at the present time.

The icon does not represent an event nor a person, but rather providing joy to live with the Lord Christ among the saints. The language of icons for the nativity or the resurrection scenes are vivid that gives the impression, of being happening now. Lord Christ is not limited by time nor place, He is arriving now as He did two thousand year ago.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” [Hebrews 13 : 8]

The icon lifts us over the time and place till we reach the eternal life. Its purpose has been always to help the church, exactly as the old Egyptian art served the old religion. The art wasn’t meant to promote itself as an art, but rather to serve the principles and teachings of the church. Among its numerous functions in the life of the church, beside decoration is its participation in prayers worship and conveying truth. They are used by individuals at home as well as in the churches. Understanding the function and purpose of an icon, is important in comprehending its language. Icons decorate churches, like jewels beautifying a bride. The house of God is a house of prayers, where the believers congregate and worship and the icons with their harmonious scenarios, lift the hearts from earth to heaven, where the Lord Christ is sitting, “If you are then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” [Colossians 3 : 1, 2]

The icon is a way of guidance for the believer, as St. John of Damascus said, “not everyone is an intellect or has the time to read, thus the fathers decided that these icons can represent events and commemorate the courageous works.”

The incarnation of the Lord, beside other events that happened during His life on earth, such as crucifixion, and resurrection, are represented by icons, guiding the men of God. Equally stories of the disciples, martyrs and saints are shown in icons for the same purpose.

St. Basil the great, said, “Fulfill the uncompleted picture of a great commander with your art. Lighten and clarity wisely the vague picture that you draw for the martyr who accomplished the crown of martyrdom. Let my words of praise toward this hero be heard through your illustrations. Manifest him evidently in your picture.”

The icons remind us with spiritual facts and events that happened in the life of our Lord Christ on earth, the annunciation, the holy lives of the saints. They lift us above the daily difficulties and remind us of the spiritual life as well as the real purpose of our existence.

St. John of Damascus said, “Without doubt, on occasions, when we don’t have enough love to our Creator, when we look at the crucifixion icon it reminds us of Christ’s suffering for our own salvation.”

Icons are capable to elevate us together with our spiritual thoughts and affections, as St. John of Damascus said, “Icons lead us to think about the spirit and Divine”. They are not only an admirable artistic objects, but they symbolize our movement from the earthy materialistic life, to the divine spiritual one. They are related to heaven. St. Basil commented by saying, “Honoring an icon goes to what it represent.” It lets us go through an accessible door, to unite us with whom it represents. It introduces us consequently towards, whom it portrays. Through their effect, we imitate their virtues and follow their path. We can make thus their love and sacrifice to our Lord Christ a sensible reality in our own life, encouraging us to expand our virtues within our experience. The more we see of the holy personalities, symbolized in the icons, the more we remember them and follow their steps. Icons can change our personalities leading us to focus on spiritual and Divine convictions, then we become complete and our likeness to the image of God would be restored as when we were created.

When we live the divine life, we stand in front the glory of God, feeling spiritual comfort. When we look at the blessed personalities presented in icons, we visualize God’s glory, and become eager to imitate them. St. Paul said, ”But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” [II Corinthians 3 : 18]

For its sacred role and function, the icon is cared for and honored not only after it is completed and put permanently in the church, but also during its shaping. During the consecration of churches and other holy places with alters, these icons are also consecrated with the holy oil. After the holy liturgy the icon becomes sacred and a vessel to bring God’s mercy and the power of the Holy Spirit to the believer. These icons become part of the church and not to be removed for any reason other than when there is a need to repair the church. During Holy Liturgy, candles are lit in front of them, to show respect to whom they represent, like the Lord Christ, the Virgin Lady, the angels and the martyrs. St. Basil said, “God created man in His own image” [Genesis I : 27]

Words and icons carry the church messages, so God’s manifestation is reached to our thoughts, on every occasion through our eyes and ears. This shows the importance of the in the life of the church, in taking part, by the direction of the Holy Spirit in guiding us to the truth in our Lord Christ. They lead us also to closeness with God. They are instrumental in conceiving the written word. The icon is an open passage, through which we reach a sacred world.

Icons genuinely, serve the Holy Bible and church traditions. It is a specialized art in servicing the church and artists inspiration by the Holy Spirit according to His teachings. [The old Testament and building the assembly tent]

“See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Juda: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you.” [Exodus 31 : 2 - 6]

Thus, the artists were designated to do holy works, guided by the Holy Spirit to illustrate in color, these forms, on timber according to the Holy Bible, church tradition and teaching of the apostles. The art that serves God and the church, is a different from the other types of arts, not inspired by human ability and wisdom, but guidance from the Holy Spirit, driven by the hands of God. Most of the unsigned icons, were done by artists who felt they were answering a spiritual call, only for the glory of God. (The words of VII Th. Ecumenical Council )

The art of icons was not created by artists, but on the contrary is the basis of the Orthodox Universal Church. (VII Th. Ecumenical Council)

Most archeologists agree that manufacturing of icons goes back to the first three centuries. They were found in old Roman tombs about the same time. There is no doubt, they are ancient, but there is some dispute about the time they found their way to churches and monasteries. Some believe that icons were used at homes, then reached the churches about the end of the third century and became common in the fourth and fifth centuries as we will see later,

Historians recorded that Christians at the beginning, were against anything related to the idolatry. They demolished temples, statues and pictures, as they were influenced by the Bible, not to make a statue nor a picture, fearing that some may worship or entreat them. The following story, [from unrecognized religious book], throw some light about the general conception of the Christian world then. It said:

“Licomidius asked his friend who was an artist to picture for him, John the evangelist without his knowledge. The artist made a portrait, without being seen by St. John. Licomidius then took the picture, decorated it with flowers and put it in his bedroom. St. John later noticed something unusual about his friend Licomidius and inquired about it. When he found the portrait, he thought it was for an elderly man, and thought it was for one of the gods. Licomidius brought a mirror to St. John, trying to convince him that it was representing the apostle himself. St. John told him that the picture didn’t resemble him, and was only an illustration of his body and scored him for committing a childish act in keeping a picture for a mortal person.”

In spite of the verses in the Old Testament, prohibiting such pictures, yet all the references point out that icons were well known and existed in the first century since the beginning of Christianity and were honored by the people. The former objection by the early fathers was basically against illustrating the saints, which were done with traditions from the ancient time.

Earlier icons, were adopted as personal portraits for the emperors and were called, Lauraton, which were done on the occasion of their coronations. The same was true with the appointment of councils, state rulers, monasteries’ abbots and bishops, who officially had right to have such portraits.

Emperors’ portraits were sent all over the empire, to be displayed in public places. Individual portrait for the emperor was used to symbolize his existence and were displayed during political or administrative processions, with flowers and lightened candles, even burning incense. This tradition continued for a while even after Christianity became the state religion.

The emperor’s portrait was regarded as if it was him in person, deserving the same respect he was entitled to. The honor given to an icon for a saint, was also intended to the saint personally. This may explain what led Licomidius to acquire a decorated portrait for St. John, an inherited idea from the past. !

For the icons of the Christian Egyptian they used some elements from inherited from the old Egyptian religion. Some had Greek art, but all illustrated Christian facts.

The development of icons went through numerous stages. We can categorize them into three stages, though they are not completely separated from each other.

Here symbols was used on a large scale. Lord Christ was seen as the good shepherd, a fish or a hidden monogram, with the first two letters of His name in Greek, “Xpictos” in the shape of a cross.

2-Stage of the icons from the Holy Bible:

Icons for subjects taken form the Holy Bible were used by the early church for teaching purposes. Christianity spread out all over the world with Christians traveling to different countries, found in icons a common universal language, understood by all.

Some of such icons were found in the catacombs of Alexandria, representing the miracle of the wedding in Cana of Galilee. (the type of graves which were known in Alexandria, were stopped due to the high humidity. Some references pointed that no icons were found in these chambers, as was mentioned in “The Church, The House of God” for Father Tadros Yacoub.)

In a ceiling of one of the chambers in a catacomb in Rome known as St. Calstes, an icon was found representing Lord Christ symbolized in shape of Orivius, surrounded by eight pictures for events from the Holy Bible, that included the rock, Daniel in the den of the lions, Lazarus and David with a sling.

When the Roman Empire adopted Christianity in the fourth century, many philosophers accepted the faith and peace prevailed over the churches. There were mixed feelings at that time. Some visualized victory for Christianity over idolatry and anticipated the second coming of the Lord. This encouraged thousands among the believers in Egypt to practice monasticism to achieve an angelic life and waited for the arrival of their heavenly groom. The art responded too by making new icons representing:

Icons by the fourth century were considered, by the fathers, as part of the church and filled them. They were admired by the people and the kings. Eusebius, who resisted the idea of icons, stated that Constantine ordered to have a statue, shaped as a cross and was erected in 212 AD side by side to his own statue. He ordered also other statues representing the good shepherd and the holy sufferings, decorated by precious stones to be put in his private room.

At the beginning, St. Polynius, Bishop of Nola, disallowed the use of icons. He later changed his views after realizing their importance in the life of the church. He decorated the new St. Felix Church, he built, also the old basilica and the church of Funde, with icons, showing events from the Holy Bible and pictures symbolizing the Holy Triad. Some of the subjects of the icons dealt with the creation, Isaac’s sacrifice, the purity of Joseph, drowning of the pharaoh and the separation of Raouth and Arafa

The second church contained icons from both Testaments and the third church outlined a picture for the judgment, where Lord Christ separated the sheep from the kids. A symbol representing the suffering was illustrated in the shape of a lamb crowned with a red cross. About that time, St. Basil the Great, in his sermon , referred to Barlaam’s martyrdom and asked the artists, who painted his icon, and expressed in it the courage of the martyr to illustrate also Lord Christ, the founder of the bravery. St. Aghrighorius, Bishop of Nisus, describing the church wall picture of the martyrdom of Theodosius, where his relics were buried, said, “The artist illustrated the courageous works of the martyr, his courage, struggle, pain and toughness as a soldier of Christ. This silent picture tells more than the spoken words.” The St. confessed that he was moved when he saw an icon representing the sacrifice of Isaac and said that he couldn’t hold his tears then as it was done truthfully by a talented artist. He said that St. John Chrysostom used to sit in front an icon he had for St. Paul while reciting or studying his epistles, as if he was there.

On the contrary, St. Epiphanius resisted the idea of using icon in this period. Once he passed a village called Anablatha in Palistine and when he noticed a picture for Lord Christ, painted over a fence near the church, he removed it and suggested that it be used as a window in a house of a poor person. We will talk later about it. [some references point that it was in tapestry]

The town of Alvera in Spain adopted a law in 201 AD prohibiting using icons in churches, citing that no painting is allowed of what is worshipped.

Some interpreted the laws as a warning for the sake of the fathers that persecution was about to happen. Then came the persecution.

After these difficult and anguish times, Emperor Constantine the great, [227 - 307 AD] reigned and accepted the faith and Christianity became the official religion of the empire. He decorated the churches and public establishments which were built in the new capital, with holy picture representing subjects taken from the Holy Bible. This boosted tremendously the spread of the icons all over the empire.

Since then, the dates of Christian celebrations and feasts were unified and the art of icons grew and filled the restored churches. Icons represented the Lord Christ as the King of the kings and the supreme Master of the universe.

5- The fifth and sixth centuries:

St. Augustin reported about the portraits of Lord Christ and His apostles that were common during his time in decorating the walls of the churches. He praised art as a work blessed by God. He also praised particularly the icon representing Isaac’s sacrifice, but criticized those who misuse them.

One of the distinguished pictures, was the icon for Mother of God, sitting on the throne, carrying her son Jesus, symbolizing the mystery of incarnation. Another one was the picture of an Egyptian god, Enobis, standing in the court of justice in front of Ozoris. On a scale, there were human hearts to weighed against a feather on the opposite side of the scale. This was taken by the Christians illustrating Archangel Michael holding a mace with the Hieroglyphic letters for Ozoris and eternity and carrying in his left hand a scale, to weigh man’s work in accordance of the heavenly justice.

One of the Pharaonic icons, representing the god Horus on a horse, overcoming and defeating a serpent, (the Satan, the god of wickedness) with a sword. Its counterpart in the Coptic art, showed a martyr, riding on a horse and hitting a serpent, the symbol of Satan and wickedness.

The examples are many and different. The Ankh, a Pharaonic key, was replaced by cross, and the Aphrodite symbol was replaced artistically with a Christian symbol in the icons. This proved that the Egyptian art was never been rejected, but adjusted to the Christian way of thinking.

The fathers of the church during its golden era, supported the makers of the icons. Among them were St. Basil the Great, Aghrighorius the Great and St. Nils of Sinai, [450 - 420 AD] who was the disciple of St. John Chrysostom. The latter said, “Let us permit the best of the artists to cover the walls of the church, with pictures from the Old and New Testaments. This will help those who can’t read the Holy Bible to comprehend the virtues of those who served God. They will appreciate those who preferred eternal life over the earthy one, and the unseen over what is seen.”

The icons assisted the church against heretics. After the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, there was the heresy of Arius who denied Christ’s Divinity. This was rejected by the council and added the “Omega” to the icons of the Lord Christ to stress His Divinity. This was adopted in the Coptic icons by adding the letters “OUN” beside Lord Christ or near the halo

The same happened after the Council of Ephesus in 421 AD and the Nastorian heresy, the icons of the Virgin Mary, the “Theotokos” appeared carrying the Child Jesus to her left, assuring the glory of the Virgin Lady, in carrying the incarnated God.

In 451 AD, Egypt declared its Christian faith at the council of Caledonia which was different from the rest of the Christian position. The Churches of Rome and Constantinople tried to control the Egyptian Church, but Egypt was determined to keep its independence, religiously and politically.

St. Dioscorus , the Patriarch of Alexandria, defended the Orthodox faith and the understanding of the church that dealt with the nature of the Lord Christ, namely that both natures, being divine and human were united in one nature through the Virgin Mary by the birth of the incarnated Logos. That was simply the faith they believed, declared by our Saint Pope and was supported by the bishops and monks in Egypt. Egypt cut all connections to the old rituals of the Pharaonic religion to become purely Christian. Its relation with the outer Christian world was weakened and consequently, Egypt began to look towards Jerusalem instead of the Byzantine Empire for its art inspirations.

Coptic icons became distant from the wild Syrian art and kept only its true objections. It also distanced itself from the idealism of the Hellenic art, and kept its coordination and beauty. For example, the Hellenic art showed the Lord Christ as a young man who looked like Apollo, with no beard beside eliminating some of the historical events. Artists liked the Palestinian art and admired their realism in drawing of a man with a black long beard in a look of realism and greatness.

The presence of the so many monasteries, along the banks of the river Nile, helped in spreading of the Coptic art and particularly icons. These monasteries too supported the patriarchs and the bishops whose authority subsequently increased and were consulted in spiritual and theological matters.

The patriarchs and the bishops cared tremendously about the monasteries, and the churches, which were expanded and decorated. This had immense effect on the Coptic art that was cleared from what remained from the idolatry era.

Churches in the monasteries received the highest attention, because of their isolation in the deserts and their protection by the high fences that insured their safety. That helped in preserving these churches with their artistic characteristics and the architectural structure and decor, of this important period. What was left of them, was what remained on the walls of the churches, monasteries. During the sixth and seventh centuries the style was irregular and some illustrated scenes from the Gospel, were carved on the rocky walls of the Monastery of Abu Henes in the mountain in middle Egypt.

Most of the churches were on the western side of Bawit and were loaded with icons, made of plaster. Most of these were affected by the weather shortly after being discovered. Some illustrations on wood were painted with colors mixed with resins and the simplicity of coloring material, gave them a superiority in fashion.

The most beautiful example to be mentioned here, is the picture of the Lord Christ and St. Mena. (In some reference, the icon in the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it shows Lord Christ putting His hand on St. Mena’s shoulder, came from the area of Bawit near Souhag) an excellent picture in shading, with distinct personalities and coordination between the dark and pale colors. It is just a breath taking model. The same principles were applied to other pictures, related to the same period of time. Some of these pictures, particularly, those from Bawit, contain many persons in one picture. One of them, is for the Virgin Mary, carrying the Child, surrounded by many priests and saints and at the top of the picture, Lord Christ is seen sitting on the throne with an angel at each side.

At the end of the sixth century, the Coptic art took an exceptional responsibility than before. In spite of the fact that it was practiced among ordinary people, using poor material, yet with the best encouragement and guidance from the monastic movement and the church, came from churches and monasteries. With such success, the art spread to all the Byzantine world.

From the early centuries there were contrasted opinions about the use of icons and particularly the personal portraits particularly. Those who opposed saw a relationship between paganism and pictures. The Divinity of Christ was impossible to be illustrated and they felt that only symbolic objects like the cross, etc. would be permitted.

On the other hand, the proponents found them as means for education. They also acknowledged personal portraits are acceptable and legal. They argued that Christ who was incarnated as a man lived among us, can be illustrated.

With such antagonistic views and with the increase in the number of icons, arguments continued. Just before the end of the seventh century and early part of the eighth the art of icons was affected by two important events. First by the Arab conquest that happened in the seventh century and secondly by the war on icons that continued till the ninth century.

Both events weakened the art of icons. The “war on icons” had a drastic effect in general, but to a lesser degree in Egypt. Here we will limit our talk to the war on the icons.

In 726 AD there were movements that targeted the destruction the icons in the churches, when Emperor Leo III gave an order to get rid of all icons within the Byzantine Empire . This continued to 815 AD, except for a short period between 787 - 615 AD. Some church leaders were influenced by the Old Testament in rejecting pictures beside a heresy that appeared about that time, denying the incarnation of the Lord Christ.

When Emperor Leo III issued this order in the senate, a struggle began between those who accepted and those who opposed. During the years from 726 - 730 AD, many icons were removed or burned and was a period of turmoil and many people were persecuted or killed.

Only few of icons in isolated monasteries were saved outside the boundaries of the Byzantine Empire, like Egypt. Egypt was saved from this event, but not from the other cause, as if the other side was watching ?!

During the war on religious statues and icons the artists in the countries out of the boundaries of the Byzantine Empire, continued to make icons. Many icons from the fifth century and from the period of icon destruction are found at Saint Catherine Monastery in Sinai, Egypt.

The most ancient icons found in Egypt, were from the period between the fifth and the seventh centuries. Only few icons escaped destruction that continued through the years till the eighteenth century.

Many references reported that the practice of making icons continued after the Arab conquest that of 641 AD. The book of the History of the Patriarchs mentioned the apparitions of some of the saints of these icons that strengthened the faith of the believers. Many writers in the tenth century, like Al Shebouchty, Abu Al Makarem, and Ibn Al Saba inscribed about churches and monasteries, as well about the life of the Coptic people through the realism of the events they lived in. They also mentioned about the disappearance of historic antiquities, including icons.

The Coptic art influenced the style of the Middle Ages as noticed in the basilica’s and churches of Rome, between the sixth and the seventh centuries, [after the Islamic conquest]

For example, wall illustrations, carvings in basilicas and churches looked more Coptic than Greek or Byzantine. The Coptic art affected the Greek elements which were used in the Imperial Byzantine art. The influence was obvious in the Egyptian-Roman field which influenced the Greek elements in the Imperial Byzantine art by adding symbolism.

There is no doubt that the Coptic icon art of this period,[middle ages], can easily be seen in the magnificent collections of pictures in the Church of Abu Sayfayn [St. Mercurius] at Fom Al Khaleeg, in Old Cairo, Egypt. Among the icons, one goes back to the thirteenth century and is distinguished by its artistic characteristics and production. This suggests the probability that there was an art school at that time that possibly may had surpassed Italy during this period.

After the sixteen century the art gradually got weakened and lost much of its creativity till the eighteenth century. At that time they using cloth or rags to cover the wooden boards to paint over them. Then this decline came to an end.

No icons were found that belonged to the period between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, making it a strange and obscure phenomena. St. Catherine Monastery, a Greek Eastern Orthodox Monastery was an exceptional, icons from all centuries were preserved. There may be other reasons for loosing icons during that period, other from the planned destruction.

Destroyed or old icons were used to make fire in the process of preparing the Holy Chrism. This was reported by travelers who saw such events and were recorded in their books. Some scholars reported about some movements appeared and some icons were destroyed, causing a setback in the continuity of the Coptic art.

However, there were occasional discoveries from that period, which included an icon for the Virgin Mary and the Child from the thirteenth century at St. Barbara Church in Old Cairo. Professor Doctor Susan Scalova, from the University of Leinden in Holland has been working on the restoration of icons at the present time.

Huge numbers of icons were made in the eighteenth century, some of which were done in styles different to that of the icons of the second half of the same century. The age of icons was suggested by the type of the style of one particular time as the icons themselves were not dated.

Most of the icons from the second half of the eighteenth century were signed by “Ibrahim Al Nassekh”, either alone or with, “John The Armenian of Jerusalem”. Many of the artists of this period were inspired by particular icons, that they used their styles. Some contained Arabic or Coptic scripts, describing the subject, the saint and sometimes the name of the designated church, or person who paid for the icon. The date was written in Coptic, with the Islamic date, written in Arabic. It is observed that the faces were illustrated in spherical shape and the eyes were forged like almonds.

This artist was the major contributor of icons in the middle of the nineteenth century. Most of the icons of the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries were for the Virgin Mary carrying the Child on her left side. Other popular icons were for the Prince St. Theodore, Martyr St. George and St. Mercurius, [Abu Sayfayn]. Frequently, we see some for Archangel Michael, local saints and subjects from the Holy Book. Many questions need to be answered about the eighteenth century.

It is difficult for researchers to study style changes, in the Coptic art because of the existing of unknown gaps during this period. Those who reported discoveries failed to report about the style or the artist and there may be some doubt that they were Coptic although they may have a Coptic style. The artistic style in these icons is different from the distinct Coptic characteristics known in the early Christian era. This may need more research to define the Coptic style in the post middle ages period.

Since the eighteenth century and up to the present time, icons are in great demand and are illustrated in modern fashion, by monks and lay people for the use in churches or homes. The twentieth century and specifically its later years, has witnessed a big jump in the world of icons, as if we are now at the prime time of the Coptic art. Icons regained their beauty that reflect spiritual life. The complete study of our contemporary art will include an explanation in dealing with the theory of icons, their important, dynamic national impression in the Egyptian life.

In the Coptic and Eastern churches, icons have ritual and ideological meaning. The icon of Lord Christ, the Pantocrator is placed on the eastern side of the church, facing the altar, surrounded by the twenty four priests carrying censers. This represents heaven into which we are elevated during the Eucharist like winged eagles flying within the holy sphere. Rituals are completed in the Eucharist with the belief in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the true presence of the Body of Christ, guarded by the Seraphim and the Cherubim

When the priest leaves the alter to lift incense at the icon of the Virgin Mary, this icon must be on the right side of the alter, with the icon of Lord Christ icon, to the left. While the people siting in the church facing the altar, the icon of Lord Christ should be to the right side of the alter and the icon of the Virgin Mary to the left. [The queen to the right of the king in her golden dress].

The arrangement of icons as previously described shows their effective role in the rituals of the church. No icon is put according to its value, but ions must be put in precise places, in specific sequence. After they are consecrated they become part of the church itself. The consecration process include special prayer, known as consecration prayer s and sacramental anointment with Chrism oil.

Icons have a role in the church, and are considered essential in feast’s processions.

During Palm Sunday, the day of the Cross or any of the commemorative feasts for the saints, the relevant icon is put in front of the alter with lighted candles. There are icons for specific days and weeks called “Hexamiron” related to fathers like St. Basil and St. John Chrysostom. These include icons representing Christ descending into Hades (Sunday icon), all saints icon (Monday icon), St. John the Baptism icon (Tuesday icon), the annunciation icon (Wednesday icon) washing the feet icon (Thursday icon) and the cross icon (Friday icon). Saturdays, are for all saints as a symbolic preparation for the second glorious coming of Lord Christ in the New Testament.

The arrangement of the icons teaches disciple, God is the Lord of discipline. They lift us spiritually to the heavenly place in the presence of the Lord while we are still on earth. There are four arrangements for the icons on the iconostasis that separates the alter, the presence of God, from the rest of the church, where the believers worship, with similar designated spots the walls, depending on the feast and the occasion.

During the raising of incense on Palm Sunday and the “Cross day”, Tut 7 - Baramhat 10, the congregation stands in front of twelve icons arranged around the church in a special order. Praises, and relevant readings from the Gospel and Psalms are read [something to be considered by the artist for his inspiration.] The procession begins as follows;

1- The icon of the Pantocrator in front of the alter.

2- The icon of Saint Mary to the northern side of the altar.

3- Icon of St. Gabriel or the annunciation.

4- Icon of Archangel Michael.

5- Icon of St. Mark the Evangelist.

6- Icon of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles

7- Icon of St. George or a martyr.

8- Icon of St. Anthony or a saint.

9- Icon facing the southern door. [the Psalm 48 : 1,2 ; Luke 12 : 22] are read.

10- Icon of blessing of the water.[Lakan]

11- In front of the southern door, [Psalm 18 : 11 = 20 ; Matthew 21 : 1 - 11] are read.

12- Icon of John the Baptist.

Other icons, are put within this arrangement, according to the design of the Iconostasis or in accord to church tradition.

For special prayers, icons can be put at the church entrance or in the chapel with lightened candles .

The arrangement of the icons corresponds to the three parts in the church and the tent in the Old testament.

The Holy of the Holiest place, the site of the heavenly wedding in the altar, icons for find the Cherubim and the Seraphim and all the heavenly saints are placed.

In the holy nave of the church, the heavenly icon meets the earth, beginning with Saint Mary, Mother of God, on the right of Christ with St. John on the left and so for the angels, the martyrs and the saints representing heaven on earth.

The essential purpose of the third “Khorus” was an area designated in the early centuries, to those who were waiting for baptism, learning the faith and receiving education. {The miracles of Christ & visions from the Old Testament} are put last.

We will describe this with some details.

1-On the right royal door in the main altar, the icon of Christ the Teacher, is put, usually written on it the Alfa and Omega letters or a verse from the Gospel like “I am the good shepherd” [John 10 : 11], or “I am the way, the truth and life” [John 14 : 6].

2- On the other side there is the icon of the Virgin Mary, mother of God. She represents all the church and is the queen who sits on the right of the King, [Psalm 45 : 19].

3- Icon of Annunciation.

4- Icon of Archangel Michael.

5- Icon of St. Mark the preacher of Egypt.

6- Icon of St. John the Baptist on the right of the royal door.

7- The saint, patron of the church.

8- A saint or a martyr and sometimes a saint from the Old Testament.

It should be noted that all the icons have candle lights except that for the Lord Christ, as He is the light of the world. [John 8 : 12]

Coptic carving on stone

representing the fish symbol in the era of symbolism

At the top of the iconostasis, is the icon of the last supper with the twelve disciples. The apostles sat sitting according to the description in the Gospel.[Matthew 10 : 2 - 4 ; Luke 6 : 12 - 16 , Acts 1 : 12] as such:

St. Peter, is illustrated all the time at Christ’s right side.

St. John on the left. St. Andrew to the right of St. Peter.

then St. James

St. James son of Zebedee

St. Philip.

St. Bartholomew

St. Thomas to the left of St. John.

St., James son of Alphaeus .

St. Taddaeus

St. Simon the Canaanite who replaced Judas

St. Matthew

At the top of the last supper icon, there is the icon of crucifixion that is usually shaped as a cross on Golgotha. From the right : the Virgin Mary and to the left is St. John , both spoke to the Lord on the cross. Jesus told him “This is your mother.”

1- To the west : Lord, blessing the bread and the cup.

2- To the East, the icon of the Virgin Mary

3- To the north, St. Mark icon.

4- To the south, an icon for one of the archangels, mostly St. Michael or the patron of the church,

On the east side of the church, is the Pantocrator icon on the throne with the incorporeal beasts, usually seen with the twenty two heavenly priests raising incense. The resurrection icon with the victorious Christ in its upper part and the tomb and the guards fallen to the ground are seen below. Occasionally the resurrection icon is put above the icon of the Pantocrator.

Mummies and illustrations, drawn on wooden boards and tapestries for men, women and children, from the Roman Era were found in excellent condition in the Egyptian graves. They got different characteristics from the traditional features of the Pharaonic art, particularly in using the reflection of light. Showed areas were made in a way very similar to our contemporary style. This type of illustrations appeared for the first time during the first half of the first century.

Many of these portraits were found in the region of Fayoum, known as Antionopolis, now it is called Sheik Abbada. They were found also in other places extending from Saqqara to Aswan,

Funeral models from Fayoum

One mean feature, particularly for styles for women’s hair and men’s beards were illustrated fashionably. Women wore jewels and artistically designed dresses

The fashionable hair designs were taken after the styles adopted by the Imperial family in Rome and copied from the royal statutes which were found in abundance in the different states. The oldest of these illustrations went back to the first half of the first century. Most of them belonged to the second and third centuries. One fourth of these belonged to the fourth century. After a while they became extremely rare when they stopped the custom of preserving bodies and burying the dead in their regular dresses. This new trend became widely practiced the Egyptian villages during the third and fourth centuries with the increasing spread of Christianity in Egypt.

Men’s illustrations were simpler in style and were similar to that in statues. Clothing, was more uniform, and wasn’t subject to the many changes as observed in hair styling and jewel decoration. Both men and women were shown in their regular daily dresses which were common in the Hellenic world. Mostly they were linen skirts or of wool at a later time and were woven in one piece with an opening for the head and arms. They used to stitch the front and back parts, to look like large sacks. Men used to put two skirts with the inner one showing the arms, as seen in some early portraits.

During later periods, only one dress was seen that dresses looked different from those of the first and second centuries. Dresses for both men and women became over sized and covered one or both shoulders.

Judging from these portraits, the color for men clothes was white or white with a grayish or greenish touch. For women, the favorite color was dark red, sometimes tinted with violet, or in blue, green and white. The shirts were decorated with two vertical narrow ribbons passing over the shoulder, on each side.

During the first and second centuries the shoulder ribbons were black with golden edges. In later periods they were red, but other colors like green, blue etc., were also used.. In the fourth century and earlier, some decorations were woven in horizontal lines on these ribbons or they used white dots over the shoulders, and colored margins, pointed at the back around the opening of the neck instead of being semicircular.

The Greek dress “khalames” is an outer garment used to be fixed on the shoulder. When men in the portraits were pictured having beard and a seven side star on the forehead it was indicative that he was a priest.

The names of people in the portraits were not mentioned, but presumably they were from the affluent Egyptian society during the Roman period. The time, the place, the dress the fashion and the jewels were suggestive that they were from wealthy families with Greek identity.

In the early time, in the “Portraits of the mummies”, the faces were slightly turned to the left or the right, except on few occasions, where the face was pictured straight forward. None of them showed the face in a diagonal position. The portrait showed the head, the shoulders and part of the chest.

In the early portraits, they gradually changed the colors and used shades and bright colors to give real. The close examination of these pictures may give at the beginning, a sense of a poor and superficial style. The eyes looked vivid with wide black pupils with a white line under the nose and thick lips colored in red, separated from each other by a black line with a heavy shadow beneath the chin. However when they are examined them at a distance, a meter away, they look nice coordinated in a lovely way.

Models from later periods, show the faces looking straight forward but with less prominent features, the mouth is closed, the lips are more curved and the hair is assembled together on the top of the head in parallel lines as if it was a head cover. Despite this practicality in the illustration, the first of these models led to a new style, based on the outline, then on balanced and engineered arrangement, with a tendency to weaken the expression of the individual character.

On average, the dimensions, were about 30 centimeters in height and 20 to 22 cm in width. They were made from the sycamore wood and from lemon trees. Such wood was unavailable in Egypt then but earlier was imported for use during the Hellenic period.

They painted directly on wood or on cloth, but mostly when used wood, they covered it with a white plaster coat, sometimes with grayish tint, depending on its purity. Plaster was readily available in Egypt.

They mixed plaster with glue. During the Pharaonic period they used extensively two types of plaster, called, equivocally as “Cheed & Gesso”. This was covered first by a black or red colored coat and then the illustration was drawn on the readily dry smooth surface.

There were two distinctive techniques for making portraits particularly in the fourth century. Paints were mixed with water and glue, an adhesive substance taken from Shittah trees and mixed also with egg yellow. [in some references it was reported wrongly as the white of the egg, which actually was used for a different purpose.] Portraits were also made on sac cloth

Illustrations made with “Tempra” method were of vivid color, that lasted along the centuries. In order to save the colors from the weather elements and sand from fading, they covered the painting was a waxy layer and sometimes they used varnish. [during the 18 Dynasty i.e. 1500 BC

At Thebes, the “Tempra technique was used for its wall pictures instead of the varnish. [its true nature is unknown]. It was customary to mix the pulverized coloring material with wax to make the mummies portraits. This gave the color, richness, brightness and power, that can be compared to our contemporary technique, known as “Incaustic”.

Examination of these portraits and studies by Belinius, beside experimental work on wax, didn’t solve the so many questions raised about this old art style. The technique of mixing wax with the coloring material is still unclear neither the method of carrying the paint from its container to the surface of the portrait.

It was believed that the bee wax gets purified with heat and could be used unmixed except with the coloring material. Analytical work at laboratories proved that their wax melted at much higher degree than that of the regular bee wax. Whether the higher heat needed to melt this wax was due to chemical changes along the years or not, remains to be seen. It may be due to elements or precipitation from the coloring material.

Definitely from examining these portraits, brushes were used for the painting. They used brushes made from tissues taken from palm trees to color the surface of the portrait, the dress and hair. The warm weather of Egypt, permitted easily the use of the wax in a thin layer on the portrait helped the free movement of the brush to do the job.

An instrument called “Kawtirium by Belinius similar to instruments used in surgical cauterization, was believed to be used in the work. However the brush was the main tool that was used in all the portraits of different sizes. It was also proven that the pictures were painted while positioned in a vertical situation.[suggested by the direction of drops from the paint].

These portraits, belonged to the Hellenic Era, and style. Traditionally they were used by the Egyptians as funerary pictures to become inseparable from the mummy. The goal was to show the features of the deceased, rested in peace and to be remembered as such by whom who were left. Occasionally a crown or a corona, made of gold leaves was put on the head of the deceased, symbolizing the hope for happiness in the other life. Some of the funerary picture found in “Hawara” had plaster frames, decorated with golden braids of grape leaves.

According to an ancient Egyptian belief, the personal face features of the individual, shown in the picture, were essential, to ensure eternity for that person. Accordingly, in about the middle Dynasty, 2000 BC they invented head covers known as “Cartonage” to protect and preserve the head of the mummy. These were made from linen and papyrus and were fixed with glue, strengthened by “sheed or gesso” and formed like a head on which the human face is illustrated. Theoretically, they were considered as portraits for the dead like the funerary statues.

Looking at the golden masks of Tutankhamen [King Tut] and others, from the tombs of the twenty second dynasty in San Al Haggar, [Tanis] they rarely gave the impression for a real person. It was only during the Roman Era that likeness was achieved by wooden portraits and plaster masks.

It was also reported that some of the portraits were kept at homes, which stirred a question whether these portraits were not essentially funerary, but as secondary items. Were the portraits hanged on the walls at homes during the people were living.? Were they used after their death for funerary purpose.? Portraits found at “Hawara” suggested that this was the case. These pictures were previously hanged on walls before being used in tombs. Wood particle debris were found in the cloth over the mummies, indicating that the portraits may had been used earlier for another purpose. At Hawara one of the portraits was found in deteriorated shape, still in its wooden frame and with a string still hanging from it, exactly the way picture frames are hanged today.

There is the question, whether these were they made before or after the death of the person. From the later group, these were done after death for funerary purpose on thick rectangular wood, with the deceased holding a crown or a cup made of glass. Again the portraits from the first group did reach a high level of skill, by artists who acquired experience in living illustration. .

Generally speaking, all portraits had long coordinated oval faces with remarkably large eyes and it was rare to find a portrait for an old person. Most of them represented people in their early years in life. It seems that the artists in the second century were inclined to pursue simplicity in subjects and styles as they did in the formation of plaster masks.

Supporting the theory that some portraits were made during one’s life, is the fact that two portraits were found for the same woman, done by two different artists at two different periods, about twenty years apart, while she was still living.

The speed required to finish such portraits with such size, to a particular class of people and with wide similarity in the artistic style, suggests that the artist must had been a traveling one ( a personal opinion by the author) more than the possibility of being made artistically in a “studio” in an academic atmosphere. There were artists like that in Fayoum and other parts in Egypt during the Roman rule, who left us with many great pieces of art of ancient styles. [the personal portrait].

That was what reported about the funerary faces in various books and references. Here I would like to express my personal opinion about this particular subject, summarized as follows:-

1- Funerary faces were used extensively in Egypt since the beginning of the first two centuries. These preceded the era of the icons of course.

2- Funerary faces were only known in Egypt. Nobody knew about it outside Egypt They were discovered all over Egypt, from Alexandria to almost Aswan and were very popular among the people. The two most famous sites were in Fayoum and Ikhmeem.

3- These portraits were more or less similar to the portraits of the Lauraton except for the fact that the latter were done only for the emperor, his deputies and some official personalities. On the other hand the portraits of Fayoum were for the ordinary people.

4- The faces were typically Egyptian with Egyptian features but were described as Romans because of the time, dress style, jewels and hair styling. These wouldn’t negate that the people were Egyptians.

5- These portraits were made during one person’s life and later for funerary purposes. However many pictures were deteriorated by the time the person died but still used at his death. It is difficult to visualize a portrait supposed made at the time of death when it was old and deteriorated. The example is that of the lady who had two portraits at different times during her life and were made by two different artists, supports this theory.

6- Portraits were made either using:

A: -The “Tempra method”:

where oxidized colors, mixed with egg yellow and vinegar were fixed on the faces with brushes. The board itself was made of flat surfaced wood which was covered with a plaster layer [same method used for icon]. This was commonly used in the eighteenth dynasty, [1500 BC] ( Dr. Tharwat Okasja, Egyptian Art, Part III. P. 1377) and still used to our time in Greece and Russia

B: The “Incaustic method”

Where wax was added to the oxidized colors together with some “Afoneen” to make it firm and stable. Colors were spread with brushes on the smooth surface of the wood. Up till now it is still a mystery, how the colored were made to spread on the surface of the board.

SECTION II

FEATURES OF COPTIC ICONS

In order to understand the features of the Coptic icons it is appropriate, to refer to a certain icon, now placed in the Louvre Museum in Paris for the Lord Christ. It represents the Lord putting His right hand on St. Mena’s Shoulder. This icon is considered one of the most important icons showing the originality and independence of the Coptic art. No other icon in the Christian art can show more love, protection, closeness and friendship towards the Lord Christ. It is totally different from other Byzantine icons which portrayed the Lord with firmness and seriousness.

De Bourguet stated that the look and the motion of the Lord, are entirely original and similar to the common traditions known in Egypt through the ages. The greatness of the Lord Christ was not diminished by His gesture. It showed a big posture, with comparatively long and broad head and His arm touching the St.’s shoulder as if He is pulling him to beyond the earth’s horizon. There is a halo on each head, looking to the inflamed sunset, which in the great Pharaonic tradition of admiring the beauty of the holy sun. Byzantine styles symbolism is noticeable. The body looked small and divided into simple equal parts, the outer garment didn’t show the details of the body, while its folds showed turns that met together with one center over each other from the top, with halos over the heads, in harmony according to its relative importance that impresses the eyes for the strength of these curves.

The condensed formation in this icon has surpassed all what the Greek and Roman have whether pictures or icons. This work was done by the Tempra technique and without any doubt expressed the beauty of the Coptic art.(P.De Bourguet, P. 76)

I meant to describe this particular icon in details, as it is considered to be the example Coptic art in the sixth century according to Pirdi. By the same token, we find the same style was adopted in the icons of St. Abraham and the resurrection of the Lord Christ, in Bawit.

The same reference concisely specified other features for the Coptic art as the rounded faces, rounded eyes, surrounded with dark boundaries.(Page 187) The forms themselves were surrounded with the dark clear lines which are characteristic of the Coptic art at that time.

In the middle of the sixth century, many changes dealing with the body, physical nature and the face were noticed.

There was a tendency among the artists to avoid any appearance of third dimension. However, tapestries, funerary faces of the second and the third centuries, stressed on using bright light and shadows to show the pictures in perfect ways.

Coptic art avoided the green color, as it was considered a symbol of the devil, in Ancient Egypt. The devil and the enemies used to be painted in green.

It is about time to look into the most pleasant and important features that our Coptic icons have.

Some historians and artists observe that our icons always looked enjoyable. They didn’t show the sufferings of God nor the martyrs, except in crucifixion and the victorious carrying of the cross by the King of kings to be hanged on. They didn’t show Hades, but only pictured heaven and its heavenly beings with crowns. The church aimed to teach her children hope in life and glory of heaven. The church didn’t want to scare and frighten them of hell. Butler described it as such, “There is a big difference between the Greek and the Coptic pictures. This is a point that needs to be addressed. The Coptic art is distinguished from the Greek and the rest of the Western Christian arts by the fact that it didn’t show the suffering of the saints on earth nor the scenarios from hell”.

Mrs. Butchers attributed this to the Coptic Church own sufferings, being persecuted more than any other church in the world by apprehensive means and her determination not to destroy the hope to live. Wherever you visit even a poor church in Egypt, you will never find a picture that represents hell or sufferings. No frowned skull nor a trembling skeleton, is seen, but only smiling martyrs, illustrated in tranquillity as if their pain had been forgotten for a long time ago,”

2- Icons inspired by triumph.

The church always aimed to create confidence in her children by not showing the devil in its pictures and when necessary, devils were shown as small creatures stricken under the feet of God archangels and martyrs.

The Coptic art expressed love and tenderness. Here are some examples:.

a- Icons from the Bawit Monastery showing St. Mary feeding her child Jesus with motherly compassion.

b- In a carved wooden masterpiece Both St. Mary’s and her child faces, touch each other in a remarkable gentleness, while both of them put their hands tenderly on the shoulder of the other.

This Coptic preference is different from the Greek, as Viratoff suggested. He stated that the Greek Church pictured the Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother with glory. Our Savior appeared with glowing eyes not with the eyes of a child, but eyes of all knowledge, also St. Mary as the heavenly queen.

4- Express the spiritual power

It is customary in the Coptic icons to illustrate large heads, wide eyes, without paying much attention to their ratio to the rest of the body. Probably the Coptic artist were not interested in showing body feat