Loss of Face: Defacement between Iconoclasm and Ambonoclasm

This paper explores the defacement of sacred images as a complex, relational act that transcends mere destruction. Drawing on theories of cognitive agency, spatial embodiment, and liturgical architecture, it examines how medieval images functioned as intentional artefacts – objects embedded in ritual, space, and social meaning. Central to the analysis is the rood screen, interpreted as an image-place that organized space, mediated access and vision, and reinforced liturgical hierarchy. Through the lens of «ambonoclasm» – a term denoting both the removal and the physical mutilation of rood screens – the paper investigates episodes of English iconoclasm between the Reformation and the Gothic Revival. Emphasis is placed on the performative violence of facial defacement and the paradox of images gaining meaning through damage. The concept of «ambonoclash» is then introduced to describe the symbolic tension between erasure and reconfiguration. The paper concludes by connecting historical iconoclasm to contemporary visual culture, suggesting that even mutilated images continue to shape collective memory and aesthetic perception