History

FRAGMENT OF  BYZANTINE SILK FABRIC SHOWING THE ANNUNCIATION, DATING FROM THE VI CENTURY (?), VATICAN LIBRARY. The exquisite Byzantine decorative sense is shown here by this red silk fabric (dyed with kermes). The scene of the Annunciation is artistically reproduced within a large circular red and green floral motif on …

MOSAIC DATING FROM THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE YEARS 546 AND 548 – CHURCH OF SAINT VITALE, RAVENNA. The hieratic splendour of Byzantine clothing is represented here in this image of the emperor Justinian. A two-tiered gemstone encrusted crown, purple imperial chlamys with a large lozenge shaped golden panel (tablion) and …

APSE MOSAIC DATING FROM THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE YEARS 526 AND 530, BASILICA OF SAINTS COSMA AND DAMIANO IN ROME. The ecclesiastical wear of the gothic period, as well as the secular one, remains faithful to the late-Roman tradition. Pope Felix IV wears the sacred white Pallium on his chasuble, …

SAINT THEODORUS, APSE MOSAIC DATING BACK TO THE YEARS BETWEEN 526 AND 530. BASILICA OF SAINTS COSMA AND DAMIANO, ROME.   The warrior saint is wearing a fantastic chlamys with simple, colourful, woven diamond shaped pattern. The large purple silk lozenge shaped panel across the right of the chest is …

GOTH BROOCH, BEGINNING OF THE SIXTH CENTURY, MILAN ART MUSEUM. Their taste for colours, and their fighting spirit are evidently displayed here by this superb brooch made from red, glass like mosaic tiles set in a gold sheet framework of square cells. These are extended at the top to recreate …