This splendid book is dedicated to the art of the Middle Byzantine period (843-1261), demonstrating its wide influence through a celebration of its most beautiful and meaningful works of art. The Glory of Byzantium accompanies a major exhibition on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in the spring of 1997.
The magnificent religious and secular objects created in Byzantium had a profound impact on neighboring Christian and Islamic states and on the Latin West. In this volume more than 50 contributing scholars explore not only works from Byzantium proper but also those from beyond its borders, providing new insights into the cultures of Eastern Europe.
The 17 essays are accompanied by descriptions and full-color reproductions of more than 400 objects as well as photographs of architectural sites and comparative illustrations.
The Glory Of Byzantium is a stunning, 604 page coffee-table artbook based on the exhibition of the art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art of the Middle Byzantine period beginning with the restoration of the use of icons by the Orthodox Church in 843 and ends with the occupation of Constantinople by the Crusader forces from the West and 1204 to 1261. The Glory Of Byzantium explores four interrelated themes: the religious and secular culture of the Second Golden Age of the Byzantine Empire; the empire's interaction with its Christian neighbors and rivals; its relations with the Islamic East; and its contact with the Latin West. Bringing together the contributions of 59 scholars and art historians, the text explores the complex currents of Byzantine civilization. More than 350 works of art assembled from 119 institutions in 24 countries are discussed and illustrated in the catalogue, presenting a significant selection of works that survive from the empire and from the countries that constituted its extended sphere of influence. Liturgical objects (including icons, mosaics, chalices, ceramics, jewelry, and manuscripts) reflect the dynamic nature of the art of this era both within and outside of the empire. The first half of the volume treats the historical context, the religious sphere, and the secular courtly realm of the empire; the second half focuses on the interactions between Byzantium and other medieval cultures, including Islam and the Latin West. The seventeen essays are accompanied by views of architectural sites and comparative illustrations. The Glory Of Byzantium is a highly recommended for academic or community libraries, and would be especially appropriate as a Memorial Fund acquisition selection. -- Midwest Book Review
