The Art of Constantinople: An Introduction to Byzantine Art

Beckwith, John; John Beckwith

Published by Phaidon Press Limited & Phaidon Press, Inc./Distributed by New York Graphic Society, London & New York/Greenwich, CT, 1961

About this Item

184 + viii pp. A great, almost spotlessly clean copy! Solidly and tightly bound, essentially and nearly flawless copy with minimal internal and external wear and use. Copy with crisp pages, clean text on glossy paper, and light shelf wear. Smooth covers. Dust jacket suffers extensive wear around edges. Synopsis: Constantinople was the centre of civilization for eight hundred years. Politically, the city regarded herself as the heiress of Rome; throughout the Near East the citizens of the Byzantine Empire were called Romans. Culturally, the heritage was Roman and Greek. To this was added the force of Christianity, and from the beginning the Byzantine Emperors proclaimed themselves Vicars of God. Byzantine art was to become an integral part of the palatine rites and the liturgy of the Church. For many centuries, however, grave doubts over the propriety of representing God, the Virgin, and the Saints as graven and painted images disturbed the Byzantine Empire. After this controversy was concluded by a Council of the Church summoned by an Empress, a new religious style was evolved, austere, remote, to which time and the foibles of humanity were irrelevant. This style, one of the most important developments in the history of medieval art, exercised a marked influence throughout the western world. In its purest tradition, Byzantine art reveals a deep awareness of classical antiquity, religious devotion without sentimentality, loftiness of aesthetic conception, supreme elegance of form, and perfection of technique.

Seller Inventory # 1iEe0020

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Art of Constantinople: An Introduction to Byzantine Art
• Publisher: Phaidon Press Limited & Phaidon Press, Inc./Distributed by New York Graphic Society, London & New York/Greenwich, CT
• Publication Date: 1961
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardbound Clothbinding
• Edition: © Phaidon Press Ltd, London, 1961
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Good