The Iconoclasts (art movement)

The Iconoclasts refer to a movement in the 8th and 9th centuries, particularly in Byzantium, that challenged the veneration of religious images and icons. Iconoclasts believed that these images could lead to idolatry and sought to ban or destroy them. This controversy sparked intense theological and political debates, affecting art, worship, and church policies. The movement eventually waned, leading to a restoration of icons. In a broader sense, "iconoclasm" describes acts that oppose or break with traditional beliefs or cherished symbols, influencing cultural and artistic developments across history.