In this study of image-making, it is argued that from the Middle Ages to the Modern period in Lebanon, coexistence between Christians and Muslims, who maintained contact alternately as a minority or dominant culture, was defined by fundamental ideas about sacred art, namely, the embodiment and depiction of the divine. The central premise holds that in Christianity paintings of a religious character are of importance because they reaffirm belief in the doctrine of incarnation, and thus Christ’s humanity. In Islam, by comparison, such art is idolatrous and deserving of censure. The opposite is asserted: God is invisible, and, therefore, paintings of the divine are impermissible. However, denunciation by Islamic scholars was not absolute; there was no disapproval if imagery did not violate Qur’anic proscription against idol-worship. A more nuanced discussion of the Arab literature demonstrates not only Muslim disavowal and episodes of iconoclasm, but also fascination with and commentary on Christian art. Such views informed Christian-Muslim debate over the value and validity of image-making in Modern-era Lebanon, which was further aroused by European developments in the science of optics, based partly on the works of Arab scientists. The advent of photography offered new ways of seeing the world, and discussion among Lebanese Muslim scholars focused on the efficacy and malevolence of optical technology in Arab society and culture. Outright condemnation of image-making was tempered by views condoning certain artistic practices.

中文翻译：

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从中世纪神圣艺术到现代摄影

在这项关于图像制作的研究中，认为从中世纪到现代的黎巴嫩，基督徒和穆斯林之间的共存，他们作为少数文化或主流文化交替保持接触，是由神圣艺术的基本观念定义的，即，神的化身和描绘。中心前提认为，在基督教中，具有宗教性质的绘画很重要，因为它们重申了对道成肉身教义的信仰，从而重申了对基督人性的信仰。相比之下，在伊斯兰教中，这种艺术是偶像崇拜，应该受到谴责。相反的说法是：上帝是不可见的，因此，神圣的绘画是不允许的。然而，伊斯兰学者的谴责并不是绝对的；如果图像不违反古兰经对偶像崇拜的禁令，就不会遭到反对。对阿拉伯文学进行更细致的讨论不仅表明了穆斯林的否认和反传统的事件，而且还表明了对基督教艺术的迷恋和评论。这些观点引发了基督徒和穆斯林关于现代黎巴嫩图像制作的价值和有效性的争论，欧洲光学科学的发展进一步引发了这种争论，部分基于阿拉伯科学家的作品。摄影的出现提供了看待世界的新方式，黎巴嫩穆斯林学者的讨论集中在光学技术在阿拉伯社会和文化中的功效和恶意。纵容某些艺术实践的观点缓和了对图像制作的直接谴责。