Aesthetics of the Human Image in Christian Philokalia: Orthodox Good Beauty Image of Monks and Russian Elders

In this article, the author wishes to consider the aesthetics of the human image as regards the Christian (especially Eastern) archetype of what will be termed the “good–beauty– image†(exemplifying goodness), manifested most fully in the Orthodox Philokalia as the experience of the beautiful appearance of monks and, particularly, Russian elders. Considering this as the embodiment of the unity of beauty, goodness, and truth allows a new approach to the problem of how a sensually perceived (primarily visual) human image can be experienced as manifesting the being and way of life, or particular existence, of that person. This approach allows us to bring together the modern understanding of aesthetics and a philosophical, visual and religious anthropology. In order to achieve this, we shall attempt to creatively reappraise and rethink the experience of certain personal perceptions in Orthodox Christianity.