A Spiritual Iconography
Clara Grouazel and Iconographic Painting
Today, Clara Grouazel’s work takes form through the creation of modern, commemorative iconographic paintings, made using human or animal funeral ashes upon request.
Trained in the art of Byzantine iconography under master iconographer Alexandre Sobolev, Clara creates works filled with meaning and spirituality, celebrating beauty, memory, and the deep bond that connects us to those who are no longer here.
Traditional Iconographic Representation
The word iconography comes from the Ancient Greek eikon (εἰκών), meaning "image," and graphein (γράφειν), meaning "to write." It literally means "the writing of the image."
Iconography: Etymology
Definition and Role of the Icon
Iconography refers both to the study and creation of images with strong symbolic value, particularly religious. In the Orthodox Christian tradition, the icon is not merely an illustration for all to "read" the history and life of saints: it is a medium for prayer, a window to the divine, intended to make the invisible visible. It conveys a spiritual message, rather than a narrative or decorative one.
A Brief History of Iconographic Painting
Born in Byzantine Christianity in the 4th century, iconography developed within the Orthodox churches, particularly in Russia, Greece, and the Balkans. In the Middle Ages, it adhered to strict canons to represent saints, biblical scenes, and dogmas. Little changed through the centuries, and it remains alive today in Orthodox traditions, while inspiring contemporary artists who reinterpret its style in a spiritual and personal approach.
Style and Techniques Specific to Iconographic Art
Iconographic art is characterized by a symbolic, frontal, timeless, and hieratic style. It follows precise rules of composition, color, and symbolism. Traditional techniques include egg tempera painting on wood, the application of gold leaf, and a succession of transparent layers that add depth and light to the image.
The Absence of Figurative Icons in Clara’s Art
What sets Clara’s iconographic works apart is precisely the absence of figurative or religious representations at the heart of her cremation ash paintings.
In Orthodox tradition, icons are codified images created according to strict rules of composition. They are “written” following sacred canons, each one telling a specific passage from the Bible. Clara does not create icons in the religious sense. She does not “represent”—she evokes.
“My style is iconographic in technique, but symbolic, abstract, and contemporary in expression. I don’t write religious icons—I write and paint with brushes, pigments, colors, and… with ash, with the memory of a loved one’s life.”
Without sacred images or saintly figures, her works step outside the religious framework to enter a deeply spiritual realm. Clara develops a form of free iconography, where emotion, memory, and light take the place of biblical narrative—ushering in a new kind of sacredness, personal and universal.
An Iconographic Art Between Heaven and Memory
In Clara’s work, iconography-inspired painting stands at the crossroads of several genres: spiritual art, commemorative art and contemporary art. It inherits the aesthetics and techniques of traditional iconography, while serving emotional and memorial functions—bringing it closer to commemorative art, though it cannot be confined to it.
