HISTOIRE ET RÔLE DE L'IMAGE ENTRE ICONOCLASME ET ICONOPHILIE.

This article highlights an original side to the history of images: from ancient times until today, detractors and champions have confronted one another on the issue of images. While Plato criticized images for their double illusion, Aristotle saw them as capable of rivalling Nature herself The monotheistic religions eschewed images so as to be free from idolatry, although Christianity quickly lifted the ban. Images were also at issue in the Oriental Roman Empire, between iconoclasts and iconophiles, or between the Reformed tradition and the Catholic church. As of the nineteenth century, images per se are not as criticized as the fact that they may be technically. Even today, television and internet are accused of many sins on account of their iconic dimension. The article concludes that images are the expression of three powers; the power to tell, to convey, and to understand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]