Popular Belief and the Image of the Beardless Christ
By Claudine A. Chavannes-Mazel
Visual Resources, Vol.19:1 (2003)
Abstract: Early images of Christ borrowed significantly from the Classical tradition. It is generally agreed that two traditions co-existed in which Christ could be youthful and unbearded or else older and bearded. This article traces the literary and historical backgrounds for both pictorial traditions from the late apostolic period to the thirteenth century. It proposes an origin in the East for the tradition of representing Christ with a beard that gained in popularity in the west in the twelfth century. This was a tradition that was driven by popular practice and owes nothing to the influence of the Church.
http://home.medewerker.uva.nl/c.a.chava ... Christ.pdf