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In their work iconographers used stylistic
models called "Podliniki" in Russian, which were centuries old and
approved by the Church. For the ancient iconographer line was more important
than color and he used it masterfully to express the meaning of his icon. The
faces he painted often showed certain inner perceptions, which almost regularly
convey a feeling of internal peace in the face of suffering and, at the same
time, concern, sorrow and sacrifices for humanity. Religious paintings were
considered to have served their purpose if they could teach believers the
necessity to pray, to mortify the flesh, and love; occasionally though they
warn of evil and of the consequences of not following the teaching of the
Church. This was at the base of that austere sincerity that we often find in
the icons as pictorial expressions of Christianity. Indeed, from its first days
the Church had found that the dissemination of Christianity among the pagan
Slavs was considerably facilitated by the use of icons. Used as a substitute
for religious books, they produced strong visual impressions on the unlettered
and helped them get acquainted with the protagonists of Christianity and learn
about their deed and lives. The icon became a powerful way to describe dogma
better than any oral word could.
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