Where can I obtain images of religious icons?  I am interested
especially in Russian and Greek icons.  Icons are no longer
copyrighted, but reproductions of them are.  Where can I get good
sized photos\prints of famous icons which I would use for resale
purposes in my small business?  Specifically, I would like to mount
the images onto wood and sell them as icons, and create calendars from
the photos.  It would be best if some one could sell me rights to
reproduce the photographs as I wish, rather than needing to purchase
say 25 copies each of the same photo.

---

Request for Question Clarification by nellie_bly-ga on 07 Jan 2003 17:38 PST

Would you be interested in non-copyrighted gif files of Orthodox icons
that you could print?

Dear njb100,

Thanks for your question.  First, let me request that if any of the
following is unclear or if you require any further research – please
don’t hesitate to ask me for a clarification.

When looking to purchase images for reproduction, always look for
royalty-free images.  When you purchase royalty-free images, you
purchase the right to reproduce the image in any way you see fit – and
as many times as you’d like.  All of the following sources will lead
you to royalty-free images – except for a couple that will require you
to negotiate directly with the image owners (I’ve pointed exceptions
out in parentheses below).


Superb site for Greek icons
************************

http://www.religious-icons.com/


Fantastic photos of Russian icons
********************************

Metacomm religious image series (photographs)

http://www.metacomm-taxi.com/Fun-Ride/religious.htm

(contact webmaster@metacomm-taxi.com to purchase any of the images
here)


Russian icons from the Timken Museum of Art

http://gort.ucsd.edu/sj/timken/a-icon.html

(you may be able to negotiate with the museum for reproduction rights)


Professional royalty-free image collections
*************************************
(include Greek, Russian, and other icons)

Religious icon collection from eyewire

http://www.eyewire.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/View.woa/wa/viewProduct?product=46506


Veer religious icons

http://www.veer.com/results.asp?image=ISP0000205


Religious icons from Punchstock

http://www.punchstock.com/store/main


Other collections worth a look
**************************

Religious icon and image archive

http://www.aphids.com/susan/relimage/


Clip Art Guide – Religious Clip Art

http://www.clipartguide.com/clipart_religious.html


Metacomm religious image series (photographs)

http://www.metacomm-taxi.com/Fun-Ride/religious.htm

(contact webmaster@metacomm-taxi.com to purchase any of the images
here)


Christian clip art

http://www.discountchristian.com/Ellis/ecc.htm


Corel religious icons

http://members.aol.com/avalon48/corelcds.html

(these are $15 for 100 royalty free images – definitely worth a shot… 
search on the page for “religious icons,” it’s catalog number 584000)


I hope this response adequately addresses your request.  Please let me
know if you are in need of additional information concerning this
query.

Thanks,
ragingacademic-ga


Search Strategy:

"russian icons" "royalty free"
"religious icons" "royalty free"
russian "religious icons" "royalty free"
russian greek "religious icons" "royalty free"

---

Request for Answer Clarification by njb100-ga on 09 Jan 2003 15:55 PST

Nellie_bly-ga,  I would be interested in images of Orthodox icons that
are non-copyrighted.  However the gif files would have to be very good
quality to be worth using.

---

Clarification of Answer by ragingacademic-ga on 09 Jan 2003 16:16 PST

njb100 -

The person who had actually responded to your request is
ragingacademic (me...)

The answer I have posted provides many sources for such images as you
are seeking, and, typically, you will be able to obtain the right to
reproduce them for a few dollars (when purchased in sets - purchasing
individual images can be prohibitively expensive).

Please let me know if you require additional information.

thanks.
ragingacademic

---

Request for Answer Clarification by njb100-ga on 10 Jan 2003 09:34 PST

I have carefully looked at the links you provided and was unable to
find photos/prints which I could purchase.  The first site has actual
religious icons (made with silver and gold), not photos/prints of
icons.  The second site has a half dozen photos, none of which is a
picture of a Russian icon.    The third site does list about 5 icons
and I am in the process of contacting them, though museums generally
don't respond or have strict policies.  The forth site offers black
and white clip art images, not photos of icons.  The fifth site uses
the title Religious Icons, but it really means photos of religious
themes, and I saw no evidence of any Russian or Greek icon (ancient
religious art on wood panel).  The sixth site at Punchstock showed no
signs of having what I want, even though I did a search.  Other sites
listed seem also to mention clip art directly.  The metacomm site is
actually listed twice.  I wonder if there is anything I am missing, or
further clarification which you could provide.  I appreciate the time
you took and for informing me that I am looking for "royalty free"
images/photos.

---

Clarification of Answer by ragingacademic-ga on 10 Jan 2003 10:46 PST

njb100 -

It would help if you could provide a couple of names/definitions for
icons you are seeking.  Could you do that?

thanks,
ragingacademic

---

Request for Answer Clarification by njb100-ga on 10 Jan 2003 11:26 PST

Ragingacademic,

Icons have very generic names and many have the same name as other
similar icons.  For example, Crucifixion, Dormition, Panagia.  Also,
sometimes more than one type of name is given to an icon because they
were never really named by their creators.  I guess the most popular
icon is the Holy Trinity by Rublev, or the Pantocrator (at Sinai). 
The definition of an icon would be a work of religious art on wood
panel, usually involving the medium of tempera.  Russian Icons and
Greek Icons are not clip art or pictures of anything that is
religious.  I understand that the term 'icon' has many definitions,
which is why in my original request I mentioned Russian icons and
Greek icons.

---

Clarification of Answer by ragingacademic-ga on 13 Jan 2003 20:56 PST

Dear njb100,

Thanks for your request for clarification.  

I have found some additional sources that may be of interest – 

The following site has reproductions of both Greek as well as of
Russian icons, and they seem to have quite a few of both –

http://www.greekorthodoxicons.net/byz/index1_jesus.htm

and –

http://www.greekorthodoxicons.net/russian/index.htm

The following site supplies a variety of orthodoxic images –

http://www.orthodoximages.com/

And a site of an artist who reproduces icons –

http://byzantineiconsbycassis.com/

(I realize not all of these sites sell photographs; I am hoping,
however, that they would be interested in selling you permissions to
reproduce their work)

According to the author of the following page, “These icons are freely
available for personal use and anyone can feel free to put links to
this page on their sites. However, please ask me if you decide to have
them on your site and attribute their origin. Sites related to
Orthodoxy or iconography shouldn't have any trouble.” –

http://www.mit.edu:8001/activities/ocf/icons.html

The Orthodox Christian Foundation provides links to pages with
photographs of icons on the following page –

http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/icons/icons.html

While there is no note regarding reproduction of these images, you may
be able to receive permission by contacting them.

Dozens of Russian icons, and there seems to be a CD you could purchase
–

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/liberal_arts/foreign/russian/icons/


Btw, this seems to be a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to
iconography –

http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/icindex.html

Another interesting reference site – scroll some down the page and
you’ll see the section on icons, with many additional links –

http://home.eg-gym.dk/fagene/religion/Ortodokse%20kirke/dox.htm


I hope this additional response provides you with adequate
information.  Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Thanks,
ragingacademic-ga

Ragingacademic came through with very good results in the end.  I
needed to clarify my question a bit before I got the results I was
looking for.  I was very satisfied and surprised at all the
information that ragingacademic discovered for me.