The theological art history of iconography in the work of priest Pavel Florensky: the problem of the face and its iconographic representation

The author of this article considers the unique formulations of the theology of the icon in the work of Priest Pavel Florensky. Special atention in the article is drawn to the problem of the relationship between the face and its iconographic description and to an analysis of the conclusions of Priest Pavel Florensky on this subject. Te main conclusions are: a close spiritual connection between the real face and its iconographic portrayal exists; it is possible for the iconographic description to influence the appearance of the beholder; the iconographic portrayal of the face is made in the image of God; the danger of spiritual impoverishment, which is externally manifested by the degradation of the iconographic portrayal of the face into a mask; the specifics of the spacial and temporal relationship between the person praying and the icon; and the formation of basic doctrinal statements in the theology of art.