What is a mandorla in iconography?

iconography. By The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica View Edit History. Mandorla, (Italian: “almond”), in religious art, almond-shaped aureole of light surrounding the entire figure of a holy person; it was used in Christian art usually for the figure of Christ and is also found in the art of Buddhism.

Who are the 4 figures surrounding the mandorla?

These creatures hold books and are generally identified as the symbols of the four evangelists (Angel, Matthew: Lion, Mark: Ox, Luke: Eagle, John).

What is the meaning mandorla?

The image of the mandorla (which literally means “almond” in Italian) represents union. It is perhaps the most ancient sacred symbol known to humankind, said to have been inscribed on the Ark of the Covenant. Also known as the Vesica Piscis, it symbolizes the sacred geometrical pattern of life on Earth.

Which artwork shows Jesus with a mandorla?

In a famous Catholic Romanesque fresco of Jesus Christ in Glory in Sant Climent de Taüll, the scriptural inscription Ego Sum Lux Mundi (“I Am the Light of the World”) is incorporated in the mandorla design.

What kind of icon is a mandorla made of?

A mandorla is a species of aureola, i. e. an iconographic frame that surrounds the totality of an iconographic figure. A mandorla is usually in the shape of a vesica piscis, with which term it is usually synonymous. Mandorlas surround the figures of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in traditional Christian iconography.

When did the mandorla become less popular in art?

In the 15th century, however, with the growth of naturalism in art, the mandorla became less popular, being incongruous in a naturalistic context, and it was abandoned by the painters of the Renaissance. Sign up here to see what happened On This Day, every day in your inbox!

What is the shape of a mandorla in Christianity?

A mandorla is usually in the shape of a vesica piscis, with which term it is usually synonymous. Mandorlas surround the figures of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in traditional Christian iconography.

What is the meaning of the word mandorla?

A mandorla is an almond -shaped aureola, i.e. a frame that surrounds the totality of an iconographic figure. It is usually synonymous with vesica, a lens shape. Mandorlas often surround the figures of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in traditional Christian iconography.

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