Are pictures of Jesus Christ considered a sin?

Mainstream Christianity does not consider artistic portrayals of Jesus Christ to be sinful. In the eighth century, the Iconoclastic heresy arose in the Eastern churches, arguing that lifeless materials could not be used to portray Christ. In 787, the Second Council of Nicaea ruled against the Iconoclasts.

The council argued that the incarnation of Christ as man introduced a new economy of images. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches make a distinction between worship, which is owed to God alone, and veneration, which is paid to angels and saints. Veneration of images is considered to be laudable as long as the Christian does not attribute divine power to them.