Ikonographische, stilistische und kunstsoziologische Studien zu den post-byzantinischen Ikonen in den Städten Antalya und Tokat.

The present thesis aimed to examine a selected group of 68 post-Byzantine icons, five carved Bema doors from sanctuaries and an iconostasis epistyle from an iconographical, stylistical and art sociological point of view. These artefacts, dated mainly from 19. and to 20. century, are in present day in the museums of Antalya and Tokat in Turkey. The city of Antalya lies in the southwest of and Tokat in north Turkey in inner Pontus region. In order to carry out the iconographical and stylistic analysis and as an overall basis for likely Chronology of the material a detailed documentation in form of an icon catalogue is completed and considered as one of the main parts of the thesis. An historical and social Context of the time in which these icons were produced, used and circulated, is given in a chapter as an introductory to the more complicated historical facts of the tome, namely during the Late Ottoman era, the 19. century. Included to this brief historical summary also the economic developments with its very consequences in this century, as well as the demographic information about mentioned the cities. A further consideration comprise obtaining an overall view about the religious life in both cities. The historical definition and development of the icon as an devotional object and also an art historical work is discussed in another chapter with respect to its stylistic development framed by the Byzantine art history. The art historical argumentation of the 18. century caused by the two different opposing views and thoughts about icon painting is also given. During the late and post Byzantine periods there was no formative and influential school (like the Cretan school of the 15th century) and/or main current, that shaped up the icon painting of the 19. century. In this time and already two centuries before numerous works with regional ideas and views had occurred, which were in continuous relation with one another. In the mean time art historical conceptions and formulations of late Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque in painting and re-producing the elements and motives regarding mainly religious iconographies were largely preferred and adopted by these regional local tendencies. An Iconographical and stylistic analysis with dating suggestions and considerations to places of manufacture of these icons provided that during the iconographical formulation of their works painters followed and adopted Models and Examples of middle and late Byzantine times which were for centuries handed over. They exhibited, however, at the same time in the modifications of their iconography influences of Zeitgeist, as it is in the regional painting of the time developed - there is no homogeneous development in the follow-up territories former Byzantine rich, also not in small Asia. In conclusion it can be stated that the post-Byzantine icons from 15. to 19. Century in their essential aspects, regarding their form, their contents and their function and meaning remained "Byzantine". They bring out however, not just the conventional Byzantine iconography to considerable extent they introduced ways of icon painting which has become an essential part of religious painting already during the late and post-Byzantine periods.