Transfiguration Art Series: Tretyakov Gallery Icon

 

This is a 15th century Transfiguration icon now in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.  It was originally from the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Pereslavl-Zalessky.  For years it was attributed to Theopanes the Greek but presently there is some controversy about that.

Eastern icons show the Transfiguration using "uncreated light" while Western art shows the Transfiguration using "created light." This represents a significant theological difference between the East and the West. 

 

Thomas Aquinas taught that this light was a temporary miracle. It was a physical sign to teach the apostles. One can delve into the Thomistic view at New Advent here. 

 

This theological difference changed how artists painted. Eastern icons use sharp shapes to show a mystical reality. Western paintings use natural light to show a historical story.  You can read more about the Eastern approach at the American Association of Iconographers.  You can compare it to the Western approach with the Goretti Fine Arts Guide.