Chapter Die ikonographischen Kulturen in den ruthenischen Ländern des 16. bis 18. Jahrhunderts in Relation zur Republik der Gelehrten und Künstler

Abstract

This paper examines selected icons and images from the Ruthenian (early modern Ukrainian and Belorussian) lands to explore forms of cultural and religious exchange, framed within the concepts of interconfessionality, transconfessionality, and confessional ambiguity. Key sources include Eastern Christian sacred icons, including Theotokos and festal icons. The central argument suggests that confessional ambiguity in the visual cultures of early modern Ruthenian lands can be identified through the adoption of iconographic patterns from other confessions; the integration of “foreign” iconographic elements and rituals; and, finally, the shared veneration of miraculous sacred objects. The paper argues that all these processes reflect a broader practice of confessional ambiguity. These forms of ambiguity emerged through direct exchanges with artists connected to the Western Republic of Letters.