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The Byzantine Museum is one of the finest museums in Athens, Greece. It focuses on early Christian, Byzantine, and post-Byzantine history.
*I realize this is a very long post. I don’t expect anyone to read it cover to cover. Please use the table of contents below to jump to what you’re looking. I’ve broken down each exhibit to try and make it easier.
History of the Byzantine Museum
The Byzantine Museum can trace its origins back to 1884 with the foundation of the Christian Archaeological Society. Its first home was at the Holy Synod in Athens in 1890, followed by the National Archaeological Museum in 1893.
The Byzantine and Christian Museum was officially created in 1914. In 1924, it moved into a space at the Academy of Athens. Finally, in 1930, it moved into its current home at Villa Ilissia. Today, it has a collection of over 25,000 artifacts ranging from the 3rd to 20th century.
Visiting Info
The Byzantine Museum is open daily. It’s located on Queen Sofia Avenue across from the Kolonaki neighborhood, between the Lyceum and War Museum. Admission is €8 from April through October and €4 the rest of the year (as of August 2023). A three-day special ticket package for 15€ (as of August 2023) is valid for the Byzantine Museum, National Archaeological Museum, Epigraphic Museum, and Numismatic Museum.
For me personally, the Byzantine Museum is one of the top five museums in Athens. Give yourself at least two hours to explore the permanent collection and some extra time for the gardens.
Villa Ilissia
Villa Ilissia has been the home of the Byzantine Museum since 1930. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
History
Villa Ilissia was the winter residence of Sophie de Marbois-Lebrun (1785-1854), Duchess of Plaisance (Piacenza). She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was daughter of the French diplomat Marquis François Barbé-Marbois (1745-1837) and his American wife Elizabeth Moore (1765-1834), the daughter of the Governor of Pennsylvania, William Moore (c. 1735-1793). The Duchess and her daughter moved to Nafplio in 1830 and began purchasing land in Athens the following year. After the death of her daughter in 1837, she settled permanently in Athens.
Villa Ilissia was built between 1840 and 1848 and designed by Greek architect Stamatios Kleanthis (1802-1862). It was located on the right bank of the Ilissos River and is a complex of buildings. The two-story central building was the Duchess’ residence. She lived there until her death in 1854.
The Greek State eventually acquired Villa Ilissia, using it for a few years to house officer cadets. It later served other military functions. In 1926, it was chosen to become the permanent home of the Byzantine Museum and opened to the public in 1930.
Buildings
In addition to the main building, the building to the left serves as the official entrance to the Byzantine Museum. The building on the right hosts the Ilissia Café-Restaurant.
Gardens of the Byzantine Museum
Visitors are welcome to enjoy the beautiful gardens surrounding Villa Ilissia. There are seating areas and fountains as well as three small themed exhibitions. They include the Well-Cistern, Paradise, and the River Ilissos.
Well-Cistern
The Well-Cistern exhibit is on the northwest corner of the gardens. It explains how Athens was supplied with water from ancient times to the present. It’s unknown when the well-cistern was cut out of the rock, but today it’s covered by a barrel-vault built in late 19th century.
The well-cistern was either used as a well or for irrigation purposes. It’s unknown whether it supplied Villa Ilissia during the time of the Duchess of Plaisance or after it became property of the Greek State in 1854.
Paradise
The Paradise exhibit is scattered throughout the lower part of the gardens to the south. It covers the Byzantine concept of Paradise in life and the afterlife. Paradise is “a walled garden with abundant water and lush vegetation”. The concept was closely related to the Christian expectation for salvation and eternal life. It was a prevalent theme in Byzantine churches and cemeteries.
Tombs
One section of the exhibit consists of Early Christian tombs relocated to the gardens from other parts of Athens. The area north of the Ilissos River was used for burials by both Christians and pagans in Late Antiquity, and tombs have even been found on the grounds of the Byzantine Museum.
Tomb 31 contains a fish carved into some of its slabs. The fish was a common Christian motif, as the acronym of the Greek spelling of the word fish (IXΘΥΣ) spells out Jesus Christ Son of God the Savior . The floor of the tomb is covered by square clay slabs, and the tomb incorporates part of a Roman marble pedestal in the shape of a lion’s foot.
Tomb 20 contains a cross carved into the walls. There are also 14 holes in two clay slabs on the floor. This helped with the drainage of bodily fluids from deceased.
Gateway
In the center of the gardens is a slab that possibly came from a gateway to Villa Ilissia. It was found on the museum grounds in 2007 and may have originally been part of the main entrance to the complex on Vasilissis Sophias Avenue.
The Byzantine Church
Further along in the exhibit are architectural fragments of Byzantine churches. Byzantine churches were usually built within beautiful gardens that represented Paradise. Furthermore, the rituals of the Greek Orthodox Church as well as the architectural design and decorations of Byzantine churches were meant give a glimpse into Paradise.
Lintels and Door Frames
The first part features lintels and door frames. One 10th century lintel depicts the Tree of Life, represented by a foliate cross flanked by lions. It was a popular motif in Sasanian art from the 3rd through 7th centuries and later adopted by the Byzantines.
Another door lintel, dating to the 5th or 6th century, features a peacock. Peacocks were a ward against evil as well as a symbol of imperial authority in the Roman period and eternity in heaven. Their tails represented rebirth.
Column Capitals
Next are column capitals. One dates to the 8th century and contains the abbreviated inscription “Mother of God, please aid Empress Irene”. It refers to Irene (r. 797-802), the consort of Emperor Leo IV (r. 775-780), who was from Athens. It may have come from a church commissioned by the Empress.
Closure Slabs and Marble Inlays
The third and final part displays closure slabs and marble inlays. One 11th century closure slab depicts predator carrying its prey, which was considered a ward against evil.
Water in Christianity
Next is an interpretive panel explaining the importance of water in Christianity. Immersion in holy water, with the Sacrament of Baptism, represents a person’s admission into the Church, while holy water, which is a remedy for both body and soul, is sprinkled or drunk.
During the Byzantine period, holy water fonts were located in the narthex or courtyard of churches and monasteries. Also, holy springs called Agiasmata were known to have healing powers. One of the most well-known was the Monastery of the Life-giving Spring, which was located outside the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople.
Copies of Sculptures from the Byzantine Museum Collection
A few steps away are copies of sculptures from the Byzantine Museum collection. They include part of a door lintel with a foliate cross, part of a door lintel with a lion holding the Tree of Life, and a column capital with peacocks drinking water from a vessel.
Late Roman Burial
Finally, there’s a burial from the Late Roman period. It was discovered in 2007 during renovations carried out in the Byzantine Museum gardens. Only four wooden nails were found inside the tomb, which is evidence that the person was probably buried in a coffin. The deceased’s religion couldn’t be determined.
The tomb is a cist grave and dates back to possibly the 3rd century. It had masonry walls and was covered by four marble slabs and a small marble column. All of those architectural elements were recycled from older structures. Water had flooded the tomb, shifting and destroying the remains. A few meters southwest of the tomb, two more stone slabs were found. This indicated that a cemetery may have existed on the museum grounds during the Late Roman period.
The River Ilissos
The third exhibit covers development on the banks of the River Ilissos from antiquity to modern times. It’s located inside the south entrance to the gardens and consists mostly of interpretive panels. They describe the area during the time of Plato and Socrates, full of temples and sanctuaries, and how the Basilica of Ilissos was constructed during the Early Christian period. Finally, there are images from modern times showing how the area looked in the 18th and 19th century.
The only items on display are copies of section of the mosaic floor from the Basilica of Ilissos. They were created by students of mosaic artist and conservator Yannis Kolephas (1927-1986) at the Central Conservation Laboratory from 1960 to 1972.
From the Ancient World to Byzantium
From the Ancient World to Byzantium is the first exhibit at the Byzantine Museum. It covers the gradual transition of the political, religious, and economic structure of the ancient world to a Byzantine Empire dominated by Christianity.
The exhibit opens with a 4th century table support found in Aegina. It features a sculptural group of mythical animals and birds surrounding a seated Orpheus playing a lyre. It’s believed to have been produced somewhere in Asia Minor.
Secular Life
In the first gallery are common items used in secular life, such as storage jars, clay vessels for household use, glass vessels, and copper lamps.
Early Christian Churches
Down a short set of stairs are interior decorations and architectural fragments of early Christian churches.
Included are parts of the mosaic floor of the Basilica of Ilissos. The basilica, which was located east of the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, probably dates to the 5th century. It’s the most important early Christian church discovered in the city. It was a three-aisled basilica with projecting wings, a narthex, and most likely an atrium. It’s covered in my entry on the Parilissia Sanctuaries.
Christianization of Ancient Temples
Nearby is a section on the Christianization of ancient temples. Of particular interest is the marble closure slab from the pulpit of the Christian Parthenon. It features a relief cross and dates from the 5th or 6th century.
Christian Egypt
Continuing through the exhibit is a section on the Coptic Christians of Egypt. It includes architectural fragments as well as Coptic art, which can be traced back to the rise of Christianity in Egypt and continued after the Islamic conquest in 642. Coptic art shows both ancient Egyptian and ancient Greek influences.
On display are clothing, shoes, and woven objects decorated with human and animal figures. There are also liturgical vestments and icons.
Mytilene Hoard
The Mytilene Hoard, which was discovered in 1951 at Krategos, outside Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, sits nearby. It consists of silver vessels, gold jewelry, and coins, buried by their owners during the first quarter of the 7th century in order to protect them from invaders. They’re decorated with crosses.
Christians in the Face of Death
The final section in this part of the Byzantine Museum is In Pastures Green: Christians in the Face of Death. It covers types of Christian tombs and how pagan burial customs passed into Christian tradition. During the first few centuries of Christianity, Christians were usually buried in existing pagan cemeteries. The first exclusively Christian cemeteries popped up near the end of the 2nd century. The types of tombs and traditions, such as burial offerings, differed very little from the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
One object of interest is the tombstone from the tomb of Clematius, Bishop of Athens. It was discovered at the end of the 19th century at the foot of Lycabettus Hill. It had a hole in the center through which liquid offerings were poured into the tomb. The tombstone dates to the 5th century.
The most impressive artifact is the twin grave from Stamata. Dating to the 6th century, it was discovered in 1988 outside the apse of the three-aisled basilica excavated at Mygdaleza, Stamata, Attica. It was transferred to the Byzantine Museum in 1996. The tomb is decorated with crosses and symbolic images as well as inscriptions asking for salvation for the souls of the dead.
The Byzantine World
The next exhibit, the Byzantine World, covers the end of antiquity, which is marked by the reign of Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. Byzantine society rested on three foundations: a powerful administration headed by the emperor, the Christian religion headed by the Patriarch, and the Greek language along with Greco-Roman traditions.
One of the first artifacts on display is a parchment scroll with the chrysobull of Byzantine emperor Andronikos II dated 1301. Chrysobulls were imperial documents named for the gold seal with which they were stamped. This particular example was issued to confirm privileges enjoyed by Metropolitan Nikolaos of Monemvasia. At the top is an image depicting the emperor giving the chrysobull to Christ. At the bottom is the signature of the emperor in red ink. The manuscript is an exact copy by painter Demetrios Nikolianos. It was donated to the Christian Archaeological Society in 1903 by Bishop Efthymios Kavathas of Kythera.
Icons
In the next gallery are some incredible icons. For the Byzantine, in addition to being the House of God, the church was a miniature version of the universe. This concept was visible through the importance of the architectural configuration and art that adorned the churches.
Many of the icons on display are double-sided. They depict saints as well as scenes from the Bible. All of them were made by accomplished iconographers, with Veroia and Constantinople (now Istanbul) as the main production centers.
Icon of the Virgin Hodegetria
One icon of note is an icon of the Virgin Hodegetria from the second half of the 13th century. It was produced in a Constantinople workshop and was originally rectangular. It was later cut down, possibly to fit in an iconostasis. The icon comes from a church in Asia Minor but its exact location is unknown. It came into possession of the Byzantine Museum from the Asia Minor Refugee Heirlooms Committee on December 18, 1925, and was first put on display on the upper floor of Villa llissia in 1930.
Mosaic Icon
Another important icon is a mosaic icon of the Virgin of Tenderness. It comes from the Church of Saint Basil in Triglia (now Tirilye, Turkey) and was made in a Constantinople workshop in the late 13th century. It’s the first refugee heirloom given to the Byzantine Museum by the Asia Minor Refugee Heirlooms Committee on January 9, 1925. The icon is very valuable, as mosaic icons were considered among the most luxurious of Byzantine art. It was rescued by shipowner Philippos Kavounides.
Manuscripts
Along the wall in the gallery of icons are manuscripts. Some are composed of passages from the Gospels in the order they’re read in liturgical services. In one particular manuscript dating to the 11th century, the beginning of each Gospel is decorated with the portrait of the Evangelist it’s attributed to. The portraits of the Evangelists were added later, and the manuscript was in continuous use for several centuries. It comes from the Church of Saint Gregory of Nyssa in Trebizond (now Trabzon, Turkey).
Wall Paintings
In addition to framed icons, wall paintings are also in the gallery. They include frescoes covering all parts of the church. Church hierarchs were usually painted near the sanctuary starting in the 11th century, and depicted celebrating the Divine Liturgy starting in the 13th century.
Marble Icons
Finally, there are a few examples of marble icons. They were usually embedded in the walls of the narthex, near the sanctuary, or in exterior walls.
Attica as a Byzantine Province
The next gallery of The Byzantine World focuses on Attica as a Byzantine province. Attica was very important for its agricultural and industrial productivity as well as cultural contributions to the Byzantine Empire. In Athens, which was a center of learning, a new architectural style of church was developed around the 11th century. The Athenian type featured small dimensions and elegant stone and brick work, and was topped with an eight-sided dome.
Architectural elements from some churches in Attica and Athens are on display in this section. They include the Kapnikarea Church and Megali Panagia, which was at the Hadrian’s Library archaeological site.
Church of Episkopi
One of the most impressive sections of the Byzantine World exhibit features the frescoes from the Church of Episkopi in Evrytania. They’re laid out exactly as they would have been seen in the original church.
History
The church, dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin, was built at the end of the 9th century. It had thick walls, irregular spaces, and a rustic design. The church was a cross-in-square type with a dome and narthex.
The Church of Episkopi was located on the western shore of the Megdova River. In the 1960s, it was slated to be submerged with the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Acheloos River, which would create the artificial Lake Kremasta. Archaeologists studied the church before the floodgates were opened. Underneath the layer of 13th century paintings, they discovered two earlier levels of painting from the 9th and the mid-11th centuries.
Layers of Frescoes
The 9th century layer was from the original construction and likely covered the entire interior. Work depicted geometrical or floral motifs, and the only surviving narrative scene depicts the Crucifixion.
The second layer, from the 11th century, features linear rendering of faces with “pronounced eyes and striking expressions”. The third layer, from the 13th century, is the most complete and probably covered the entire interior. It includes scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and Saint Nicholas, and from the Christological cycle.
Franks and Latins in Byzantium
The second half of the Byzantine World exhibit begins with a section about Franks and Latins in Byzantium. It covers the Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinople in 1204. The Latins took control of much of the Byzantine Empire, holding Constantinople until 1261 and parts of present-day Greece until the 18th century.
Several works of art and structures survive from this period. It also saw Byzantine artistic traditions coming into contact with Western styles. This created a new style, Franco-Byzantine.
Public and Private Life
Next is a section dealing with aspects of public and private life in the Byzantine Empire. While most of the attention is on beautiful religious art, studying everyday objects is significant because many aspects of Byzantine life has carried into modern Greek society.
Most objects were made of clay, glass, or bronze for the majority of the Empire who lived in rural areas. Cities were mainly administrative, military, or commercial centers as well as transportation and communication hubs.
Palaiologan Period
The exhibit continues with a look at the Palaiologan period, which was the final two centuries of the Byzantine Empire from 1261 to 1453. Although there were many religious and political controversies during this time, philosophy, literature, science, and the arts flourished. Constantinople was once again a center of learning and the arts, and Thessaloniki also became influential.
The wealth and power of the Byzantine Empire had drained in its final years, but the rich traditions continued. This was reflected especially in the arts, which carried on to post-Byzantine paintings.
One item of note in this section is a 14th century icon with Saint George from a Constantinople workshop. It’s a valuable refugee heirloom, probably from Tyana in Cappadocia.
Another important artifact is a parchment manuscript Book of Gospels with illuminations representing the Four Evangelists. It comes from Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey) and was made in the 14th century. The binding dates from the 18th century. At the beginning of each Gospel is a colorful headpiece and a representation of the respective Evangelist. The Gospel probably belonged to an individual or family.
Fall of Constantinople
The final section of the Byzantine World exhibit covers the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. It led to the end of the Byzantine Empire and the scattering of Constantinople’s Greeks. There was also, however, an increase in intellectual and artistic activity that contributed to the European Renaissance. A new Greek community eventually formed in the Ottoman Empire, with elements of both Eastern and Western traditions.
The most important work in this section are wall paintings from the Hodegetria Monastery in the village of Apolpena on Lefkada. The church was renovated in 1449 and 1450 when the island was controlled by the Florentine Tocci family. lakovos and Zambia, a married couple who were probably important members of the court, financed the renovation. The church was then decorated with wall paintings between 1450 and 1479. The paintings are among the finest examples of the combination of Byzantine and Western art.
After the Ottomans took Lefkada in 1479, they whitewashed the paintings, which remained covered until 1953. In 1970, they were removed and transferred to the Byzantine Museum. They were restored with the support of Banque BNP Paribas.
From Byzantium to the Modern Era
The exhibit From Byzantium to the Modern Era covers the post-Byzantine period after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. At that time, the majority of the Greek population lived under the Ottoman Empire or the Republic of Venice. Both led to the evolution of new social and cultural structures.
Venetian Rule and the Greeks
The first section in this exhibit focuses on the Greeks under Venetian rule. The Venetians controlled the Peloponnese, Evia, the Cyclades, Crete, and Cyprus from the 13th through 16th centuries. At first, their rule was harsh leading to several violent revolts. Their differences were eventually settled, leading to a mixed system of government and the fusion of Greek and Venetian culture.
Painting in Crete and the Ionian Islands
The next two sections present icons painted on Crete and the Ionian Islands. In the Cretan School of painting, the paintings combined both Byzantine and Late Gothic styles, with occasional Renaissance or Baroque elements.
After the Ottoman conquest of Crete in 1669, Cretan iconographers settled on the Venetian-held Ionian Islands. They contributed to the development of painting there, leading to the creation of the Ionian School of painting in the 18th century.
Angelos Akotantos
The Byzantine Museum features some works by Cretan artist Angelos Akotantos (1390-1457). He was one of the most important Greek painters in the first half of the 15th century and influenced several artists of the Cretan School. About 50 of his paintings still exist, with 30 bearing his signature.
Andreas Ritzos
Next are some icons by Andreas Ritzos (1421-1492), who is considered one of the founders of the Cretan School. About 60 of his paintings have survived. One in particular contains Crucifixion and Resurrection scenes in the Latin inscription Jesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus, Savior of Mankind), which is the emblem of a group of Franciscan monks. The person who commissioned the work was probably connected to these monks.
Georgios Klontzas
Another influential artist is Georgios Klontzas (1535-1608). He was a Cretan artist who worked for both Orthodox and Catholic patrons. About 54 of his works still exist, and he’s known for painting countless figures in his icons.
Michael Damaskinos
Michael Damaskinos (1530/35-1592/93) was a Cretan artist and a contemporary of Georgios Klontzas. He traveled all over the Republic of Venice to paint. About 100 of his works exist today, including 25 at the Church of Saint George of the Greeks in Venice.
Thomas Bathas
Thomas Bathas (1554-1599) of Heraklion also traveled the entire Republic of Venice and was a prominent member of the Greek Confraternity in Venice. His paintings, of which 20 still exist, have more of a Venetian style. Some are located at the Church of Saint George of the Greeks.
Emmanuel Lambardos
Cretan painter Emmanuel Lambardos (1567-1631) influenced several other painters. He himself was influenced by Akotantos, Ritzos, and Damaskinos. About 56 of his works still exist. Some are difficult to attribute directly to him because his nephew, also named Emmanuel Lambardos, was active around the same period.
Emmanuel Tzanes
Finally, another of the most important painters of the period was Emmanuel Tzanes (1610-1690). Originally from Rethymno, Crete, he became a priest before 1637 and fled Crete in 1646. He first settled in Corfu and then moved to Venice in 1655, where he spent the rest of his life. Tzanes served at the Church of Saint George of the Greeks from 1660 to 1689.
Two icons by Tzanes in the Byzantine Museum collection were originally made for the iconostasis of the Church of Saint Andrew in the now-demolished Monastery of Saint Philothei in Athens. They were probably dedicated by loannis Soldakis, a representative of the Benizelos family of Saint Philothei.
Greeks under Ottoman Rule
After the few sections on Venetian rule and the Greeks, there are a few sections focusing on Greeks under Ottoman rule. There were several different groups of Greeks, including self-autonomous communities in today’s Greece; intellectual Phanariots in Constantinople, Wallachia, and Moldavia; and communities of Rum (Greek, Slavic, or Turkish speaking Orthodox Christians) in Asia Minor.
The social and cultural life of these communities revolved around the Church, which at that time was an institution of the Ottoman State. The Ecumenical Patriarch was directly responsible for the communities, which saw an increase in high-quality works of art, especially of the religious nature.
Ecclesiastical Objects from Asia Minor
One of the most impressive works in the Byzantine Museum is an iconostasis from a church on an lonian Island. The upper part is from somewhere in Asia Minor and the icons are from workshops of the lonian Islands and Northern Greece. It dates to the late 17th or early 18th century. The Byzantine Museum received the iconostasis from the Exchanged Populations Fund on October 25, 1937. It was first exhibited at Villa Ilissia in the 1950s.
Also on display are two sets of silver wedding crowns. They’re from an unknown church in Tarsus and dated 1859 and 1900. Wedding crowns were kept in the church ad regarded as holy vessels.
Nearby are a pair of silver healing collars. Mentally or physically ill people would spent the night in the church wearing the collar, bound to a part of the church’s interior. They received the blessing of the priest in the hope of a cure. These collars come from somewhere in Asia Minor and date to the 19th century.
Aspects of Everyday Life
The next section covers aspects of everyday life for Greeks under Ottoman rule. Social status differed based on ethnic origins, occupation, and economic status. The Church was highly influential in their daily lives. Their thoughts remained medieval until at least the 18th century, with domestic life and household equipment little changed from the Byzantine period.
Most everyday utensils were made of earthenware. There was very little furniture, especially in poorer households. Some new habits such as smoking appeared in the 17th century. Importation of furniture from Europe began in the 18th century.
One interesting artifact in this section is a gravestone with a Karamanli inscription. Karamanli is a Turkish dialect written using the Greek alphabet. The gravestone belonged to the pilgrim Zumzud, which is Zümrüd in Turkish and Smaragda in Greek. The name of her husband Prodromos, son of Antonios, was later added. They were most likely members of the Tsipeloglou family from the village of Kermira (now Germir, Turkey), who served the local ruling family during the second half of the 18th century.
Icons
Continuing along are a few impressive icons from the early 18th to early 19th century. Some seem to take on more secular or historic subjects.
c. 1800
Neo-Hellenism
Next is a section on religious humanism and neo-Hellenism. Greek and foreign printing houses began printing religious and liturgical texts as early as the 15th century. Later, the Enlightenment influenced a movement of progressive church scholars that helped shape modern Greek identity and fueled the Greek Revolution. On display are rare books and beautiful Gospels.
One Gospel in particular was made in Moscow in 1763. It was dedicated by Catherine the Great of Russia to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Livorno. It features a silver-gilt cover and is decorated by representations of a sanctuary and Evangelists in the front. The back contains figures and scenes in medallions.
Influence of Monasteries
Continuing in From Byzantium to the Modern Era is a section on monasteries. In addition to being spiritual centers, they made great contributions as intellectual, economic, and artistic centers.This is in part due to financial assistance from the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia and later Russia.
Some artifacts come from Meteora, which is the second most important monastic center in Greece. Meteora was able to flourish with artistic activity due to the stable living conditions of Christians in the area, starting in the second half of the 15th century. Many monasteries were restored or built in the 16th century, marking the beginning of its greatest period. It continued into the 18th century, which saw intense economic activity.
Polymorphism of the 18th Century
The polymorphism of the 18th century is next. At this time, the Rum community in Constantinople entered a new phase. The emergence of a strong merchant class contributed to a local nobility led by the Phanariots, scholars, and the clergy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
A small number of this group promoted ideas of European Enlightenment, which led to clashes with the Church. Secular art began to replace religious art in the homes of the wealthy and even in some churches. Nevertheless, the Church still played an important role and heavily influenced social life.
Church Propaganda
Some works were used by the Church as propaganda, such as the icon below. It depicts the Apostles Peter and Paul and a church effigy and represents Eastern and Western Church Union. This particular motif was used from the 15th century onwards.
Another icon of note depicts the impact of the sacrament of confession. It comes from a Greek-speaking community of Cappadocia and dates to the late 18th or early 19th century. The Byzantine Museum acquired the icon from the Heirlooms Committee on February 16, 1925, and first displayed it at Villa Ilissia in 1930.
Ecclesiastical Objects
Upstairs is another gallery with items used during church services or kept at churches. They include reliquaries, lecterns, and cabinet doors.
One rare item of note is a carved wooden epitaphios of the Virgin Mary painted by Defterevon Sifnios (1750-1829) in the early 19th century. This one, from Kimolos, was used during the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin every August 15. It’s similar to the epitaphioi used during Good Friday services.
Another interesting item is a silver reliquary casket from Adrianople. It may be from the Church of Hagioi Theodoroi in Κaraağaç (Orestias). The lid depicts Hagioi Theodoroi and contains the inscription “+ΘΕΟΚΛΗΤΟΥ ΙΕΡΟΜΟΝΑΧΟΥ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΓΟΝΕΩΝ ΑΩΒ”. The relics are missing. The veneration of relics of saints and martyrs emerged in early Christian times.
Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin
In the same gallery are wall paintings from the Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin, which was on the site of the ancient gymnasium in Delphi. Around 1898, the decision was taken to demolish the monastery to allow the French School at Athens to carry out excavations.
Clearing archaeological sites of Byzantine and more recent monuments to study ancient monuments was very common right up to the first decades of the 20th century. The demolished monuments were not properly documented, and it was rare to make an effort to save detachable parts. Thankfully, however, the wall paintings of the church at Delphi were removed, and some parts ended up in the Byzantine Museum.
Religious Painting in the Hellenic State
The final section of From Byzantium to the Modern Era covers religious painting in the Hellenic State. After the Greek Revolution in 1821 and the creation of the modern Greek State, religious paintings became more Western in nature. Three-dimensional painting was finally accepted by the Church while traditional painting methods were described as “folk art”.
Ludwig Thiersch
The largest works in this section are a series of charcoal sketches by German painter Ludwig Thiersch (1825-1909). He traveled to Athens in 1852 and developed an interest in Byzantine art. He later led a movement to modernize Byzantine art and ended up painting in several Greek Orthodox churches, including the Saint Sophia Cathedral in London.
Icon of Saint Eustathios
The final work of note I admired at the Byzantine Museum is an icon describing scenes in the life of Saint Eustathios. It’s from Asia Minor and was painted in 1826. The icon features inscriptions in Karamanli. Icons with Karamanli inscriptions represent the tradition among the Greeks in Asia Minor to preserve their faith under any circumstances. It was a fitting way to finish my visit to the museum.
