The archetypal names of orthodox icons

Abstract

Here are 61 analyzed icononyms which belong to 8 basic archetypes (models). The most striking group are the icononyms that formally are the archetypes’ names, e.g., Mandylion, Emmanuel, Hodogetria, Deesis. To precisely describe an image, the function of an icon’s name (14 titles) is often linked with the toponymic term derivate (e.g., Hodogetria Smoleńska) or less frequently with the term anthroponomic derivate (Hodogetria Piotrowska). The term anthroponomic derivate occurs also in other icononym types also belonging to Marian models (Eleusa ← Matka Boża Fiodorowska) and Christ models (Pantokrator ← Chrystus Pantokrator). The icononyms which belong to archetypes: Kyriotissa (←Pani Wszechświata) and Pantokrator (←Król Chwały) include in their structure appellative derivate elements characteristic for the people on the throne (queen, the ruler, lady, king, savior, lord, almighty) The appellative derivate elements also occur in the names linked to the models Eleusa (tenderness, playing) and Hodogetria (←Mother of God three hand - this icononym doesn’t belong to archetype). The title Virgin Sign, because of its symbolic name, is difficult to identify with Oranta model. The separated icononyms group constitute terms of foreign origin (e.g. Glykofilusa), which have a lot of translations into Polish (Słodko całująca, Słodko miłująca, Słodki pocałunek, Czule miłująca, Miłościwa). Some of icononyms, extended to a few Polish elements, add one foreign element (Matka Boża Wielka Panagia). This variety of translations may come from popular, folk piety, famous in iconography. The icononyms are the specific terms of religious paintings. Most of them, thanks to their names, are linked to an archetype. Some of icononyms variously interpreted, are difficult to classify as belonging to one specific model.