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The chronologically structured seminar discusses the conception and reception of holy images in the Middle Ages from Late Antiquity until the beginning of the Renaissance. We will investigate their creation during the rise of Christianity and their affinities with Graeco-Roman portraits and cult images. Another focus is dedicated to the theological and political context of icons during the waves of early medieval iconoclasm, in particular in Byzantium. We will address icons made in the Holy Land during the crusades, which are often characterized by merging Frankish and Byzantine styles and motifs with Islamic art. We will discuss the emergence of new icons in Italy, and their pan-European distribution after 1100. Here we will focus on the influence of the papal court and the economic impact of icons in the later Middle Ages in the Italian commune.