Identifier: cu31924081258430 (find matches)
Title: Mediaeval Sicily, aspects of life and art in the middle ages
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Waern, Cecilia, 1853-
Subjects: Art Art, Medieval
Publisher: London, Duckworth & co
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ofpriceless dark pdrphyry with gilt capitals ; two ofthese evidently Byzantine in the Imperial sense,one (to the left of the main apse) very interestingin its Far Eastern suggestiveness, with carved bullssupporting the abacus at the angles, and exoticwater-leaves bearing small trays of fruit ; theothers showing variations of what may be calledthe Sicilian capital, which I shall discuss later. Finally there are the mosaics, those typical pro-ducts of the remarkable Byzantine Renaissance of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, whichshowed itself in a kind of afterglow of sweetclassical grace, mingling naively with tenderspirituality and quaint love of splendour. It isto painters of this school that the best mosaicsof Sicily are due. In the Martorana all the vaults and arches, theupper part of the walls, and the two little sideapses are still covered with glittering mosaics,some fine, some rather uncouth in their bizarre (late)conventionalism, but all full of interest and varied 152 XVII
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THE MARTORANA, PALERMOAfter the restoration. t 152 THE MARTORANA charm in their mellow decorative harmony andmystic iconographical unity and concordance. Thus in the cupola over the sanctuary figuringthe vault of Heaven, the figure of Christ Panto-crater ( blessing the world ) occupies the top otthe dome, attendant angels, patriarchs and pro-phets are ranged in two tiers below, the fourEvangelists occupy the four angle recesses. Re-presentations of the two solemn events of theAnnunciation and the Presentation in the Templefill the important spaces above the arches of thesolea ; pictures of the Nativity of Christ and theDeath of the Virgin (according to the beautifulGreek legend) find place in the nave, the figuresof the Apostles in the side aisles, figures of saintsand martyrs on the medallions of the archivolts,while Gabriel and Michael are portrayed in thebent barrel vault near the place of the altar, stilladoring the Christ in the centre apse—whose figurehas disappeared, it is tr

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