Care, Veneration, and Display

How does one take care of handmade paper icons?

As a general rule, paper icons should be kept at room temperature, and out of long-term exposure to direct sunlight. Very high humidity can also damage woodcut prints over time. If you frame your icon, make sure that the print doesn’t come into direct contact with the glass - this may cause condensation to build up at the point of contact, leading to yellowing.

To store your print for an extended period of time - in a drawer or box, for example - wrapping the print in archival, acid-free paper will prevent yellowing. Icons from imago-dei.studio are wrapped in glassine when shipped. The glassine, if kept clean and in good condition, can be reused for storing.

Although handmade paper icons look great without a frame (more below), if you wish to make sure that your print stays in the best condition for as long as possible, framing is recommended.

Can handmade paper icons be venerated in the usual way?

Yes. Paper icons should be treated delicately, particularly if unframed. Even more care than usual should be given to ensuring that lipstick, lip gloss, chapstick or skin oils are not pressed onto the icon. Paper icons should be kept a safe distance from open flames or charcoal. But, generally, paper icons are venerated in the same manner as panel icons.

How should paper icons be displayed?

Before the 18th century, woodcut icons were commonly tacked (or fixed with wax) directly to a wall. This remains a viable and even elegant solution. A woodcut icon of the Glorious Prophet and God-Seer Moses can be seen tacked to the wall in the background of the beautiful painting of the Annunciation by Joos van Cleve.

Some of the earliest prints outside Japan were intended to substitute for panel icons when the latter were prohibitively expensive. Woodcut icons were pasted on boards for use in icon corners or modest chapels. Icons were also pasted inside prayer books, liturgical books, and Bibles. Pasting your woodcut icons to boards is a possibility if you have the skills and desire.

Woodcut icons were sometimes sewn into the clothes of those who wanted to keep them close while on a pilgrimage or traveling. While this is still technically possible, it is not recommended.

Framed and glazed (with glass) prints were extremely rare until the late 18th century. Prior to that time, ordinary glass was whirled from a lump and cut into small, often green, bubbly pieces. (Old English law courts barred evidence peered at through window-panes.) Good glass and acrylic glazing is available now. If you want to have your icon framed, ‘float mounting’ the print in a frame glazed with uv-blocking plexiglas is recommended. If you wish to make sure that your print stays in the best condition for as long as possible, framing is best.

What is the history of printed icons in the Eastern Orthodox tradition?

A good article about the history of printmaking in the Orthodox iconographic tradition can be found here.