“Vedere” la Parola : alle origini dell’iconografia cristiana : appunti per la riconsiderazione di una fonte documentaria

This research deals with the relationship between image and written word in Christian origins, testing a methodology of analysis with effective applications to iconographic documents and early Christian literature. The aim of such a methodology is to emancipate proto-Christian visual culture from being considered inferior or sometimes even opposed to literature. One relevant achievement accomplished is the identification, within those artistic productions, of a particular exegetic tradition which, while assuming the historiographical categories defined by Jean Daniélou, fully matches the use of biblical texts made by the 'Judeo-Christian' tradition and by 'Latin-Christianity'. Adopting this perspective, early Christian image reveals itself as a code alternative to the written word for the elaboration of thought. This iconographical code was employed with extraordinary maturity by early Christian communities and ancient Churches, with purposes and ways completely independent from the so-called 'Patristic' literary production. Furthermore, the first Christian image makes its appearance on history's proscenium as a true 'theological manifesto'.

Attraverso la disamina di documenti letterari, il contributo cerca di revocare in dubbio i pregiudizi di iconofobia e di aniconismo delle origini cristiane.