Symposia, Conferences, Workshops by Antonis Tsakalos
Inventer les anges de l’Antiquité à Byzance : conception, représentation, perception, édité par Delphine Lauritzen, TRAVAUX ET MÉMOIRES 25/2, 2021
In the katholikon of the Cappadocian monastery of Karanlık kilise, the abundance of angelic p... more In the katholikon of the Cappadocian monastery of Karanlık kilise, the abundance of angelic portraits is in perfect accordance with the topos of the “angelic life” in monastic practice—the moral perfection monks and ascetics seek to achieve. Our analysis underlines the diversity of the archangels’ functions as healers, protectors, guardians, and intercessors during life and at the moment of death, as well as intermediaries between the faithful and God. Two major themes are highlighted in the sophisticated iconographic programme: the reality of the Incarnation of the Logos and Christ’s dual nature, in combination with the idea of defending the Orthodox faith against heretics or other religious apostates (which is unsurprising for the border region of Cappadocia during the agitated period of the second half of the 11th c.). The innovative arrangements in Karanlık kilise’s painted decoration are so numerous that they should not be considered as simple confusion or random coincidence. The dynamic network of interactions among the images constitutes an important indication of the seven donors’ interventions in shaping the architectural setting and the layout of this exceptional iconographic programme, connected with certain liturgical practices.
Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Art: Crossing Boarders, E. Moutatof - Ida Toth (eds.), Sofia 2018, p. 417-433., 2018
This essay examines the notions of otherness; the making of a past, and the shaping of a national... more This essay examines the notions of otherness; the making of a past, and the shaping of a national/religious/cultural identity, using the example of the village of Nea Karvali as a case study. The village was founded in the mid-1920s in northern Greece by Orthodox Christian Turkish-speaking refugees from the village of Gelveri in Cappadocia, Turkey. This study focuses on a series of religious and national myths that were created to secure honourable past for the group; to preserve and reconstruct its social and cultural memory, and, ultimately, to facilitate the community’s process of integration into the new social environment.
by Emmanuel Moutafov, Melina Paissidou, Antonio, Enrico Felle, Dragos Gh. Nastasoiu, Angeliki Katsioti, Jelena Erdeljan, Ivan Stevovic, Dimitris Liakos, Aleksandra Kucekovic, VALENTINA CANTONE, Konstantinos Vapheiades, Andromachi Katselaki, Nenad Makuljevic, Ida Toth, Antonis Tsakalos, and Margarita Voulgaropoulou That is the final program for the 2017 conference, commented with the participants. It contains o... more That is the final program for the 2017 conference, commented with the participants. It contains only the schedule for the Old Art Module.
Donation et donateurs dans le monde byzantin (Réalités byzantines 14), J.-M. Spieser - E. Yota (eds.), Paris 2012, p. 162-187. , 2012
Sept figures de donateurs –un prêtre et six laïcs– sont intégrés au décor peint de Karanlık kilis... more Sept figures de donateurs –un prêtre et six laïcs– sont intégrés au décor peint de Karanlık kilise (l’« église sombre », Göreme, Cappadoce, XIe s.). Ils sont symétriquement répartis en paires à des emplacements très importants qui correspondent aux quatre points cardinaux, comme s’ils marquaient les extrémités d’une croix imaginaire : dans l’abside centrale, dans la partie ouest du narthex, et sur les parois des bras nord et sud du naos. Leur rôle dans la fondation et la fonction de l’église semble avoir été déterminant, et c’est parmi eux qu’on doit chercher, à mon avis, le(s) inspirateur(s) du programme iconographique. Le propos de cette brève étude est d’examiner les intentions de ces donateurs et d’essayer de comprendre, dans la mesure du possible, leur intervention décisive dans l’organisation du décor peint. Pour cela, on examinera ci-après les nombreuses particularités du programme iconographique, tout en mettant en valeur l’interaction entre architecture, peintures et pratiques liturgiques.
Papers by Antonis Tsakalos
Http Www Theses Fr, 2006
Le monastere rupestre de Karanhk kilise est un des monuments les plus importants de la Cappadoce ... more Le monastere rupestre de Karanhk kilise est un des monuments les plus importants de la Cappadoce byzantine. Le temoignage archeologique permet de formuler diverses hypotheses sur l'identification des salles du monastere et sur les types de monachisme pratiques en Cappadoce. Karanhk kilise, une des trois eglises « a colonnes », suit un plan en croix grecque inscrite, avec un narthex prolonge par une annexe funeraire. L'iconographie et le style des peintures, le repertoire ornemental exuberant et la paleographie des inscriptions confirment la datation de ce decor vers le troisieme quart du XIe siecle. Cette etude privilegie la valeur fonctionnelle de cet art et ses liens avec la liturgie, et propose une lecture dynamique qui revele les themes principaux du programme iconographique. Les nombreuses particularites et l'organisation savante du programme sont l'indice de l'intervention des sept donateurs, mais aussi de la collaboration entre architecte, peintre et concepteur(s) du decor.
Deltion tes Christianikes Archeologikes Etaireias , 2004
In the narthex of Karanlık kilise (Göreme-Cappadocia, 11th c.), in the scene of the "Benediction ... more In the narthex of Karanlık kilise (Göreme-Cappadocia, 11th c.), in the scene of the "Benediction of the Apostles", the donor John is depicted kneeling before the blessing Christ. The review of John’s inscription leads to the conclusion that he did not bear the title of "entalmatikos", as it has been suggested before. According to the new reading "Prayer of the servant of God John, on your behalf", the donor acted "at the command" of Christ, for the benefit of the Church.
Στο νάρθηκα της Karanlık kilise (Κόραμα-Καππαδοκία, 11ος αι.), στη σκηνή «Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε», ο χορηγός Ιωάννης απεικονίζεται γονατιστός μπροστά στον ευλογούντα Χριστό. Η επανεξέταση της επιγραφής του οδηγεί στο συμπέρασμα ότι ο Ιωάννης δεν έφερε τον τίτλο του «ενταλματικού», όπως είχε προταθεί παλιότερα. Σύμφωνα με τη νέα ανάγνωση «Δέησις τοῦ δούλου του Θεοῦ, Ἰωάννου ἐντάλματί σου», ο χορηγός ενεργούσε «κατ’ εντολήν» του Χριστού, προς όφελος της Eκκλησίας.
Mélanges Catherine Jolivet-Lévy (Travaux et Mémoires 20/2), S. Brodbeck et alii (eds.), Paris 2016, p. 615-627., 2016
Le témoignage archéologique offert par les établissements rupestres de Cappadoce constitue une pr... more Le témoignage archéologique offert par les établissements rupestres de Cappadoce constitue une précieuse source d’informations sur la vie non seulement religieuse et monastique mais aussi laïque, rurale et quotidienne des populations chrétiennes de la région pendant l’époque byzantine et même post-byzantine. Il est intéressant de constater, à travers les siècles, une certaine continuité dans la vénération des lieux sacrés par les chrétiens de la région, ainsi que la survivance des principes d’organisation de l’espace architectural rupestre pendant une longue période, de l’ère byzantine jusqu’aux XIXe-XXe siècles. En témoigne l’examen synchronique, proposé dans cette brève étude interdisciplinaire, à la fois des informations archéologiques disponibles et des témoignages oraux recueillis dans des archives de caractère ethnographique et anthropologique, ce processus visant à explorer la contribution de la tradition orale vers une meilleure connaissance des monuments byzantins.
Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art, VII (Collection of Articles), Saint Petersbourg 2017, p. 180-189 (pl. 32-34)., 2017
An artifact’s life starts at the moment of its creation, but its real discovery starts at the tim... more An artifact’s life starts at the moment of its creation, but its real discovery starts at the time of its archaeological acquisition and of its presentation to the public, usually in a museum exhibition. In every step of this long life, the artifact may acquire different uses and meanings, according to the corresponding historical, social and ideological context. This paper focuses on several examples of the multilayered and fascinating procedure of “transforming” the excavation finds into museum exhibits. All the case-studies have been selected among the different indoor and outdoor exhibitions of the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens, Greece. In the museum’s gardens, in an area with cypress trees, as traditionally in cemeteries, the visitors can see three Early Christian tombs which were transported there, by crane, from the excavation site of an ancient cemetery. The metal structure used for the safe transport of one of the tombs has been conserved and is still visible under the transparent ground level around the tomb. In combination with information on cemeteries and photos showing the transportation of the tombs, it is possible for the visitors to fully understand the procedure between the discovery of antiquities and their presentation in a museum. Also, a Late Roman grave uncovered in the museum gardens is now presented in situ, accompanied by relevant photos and textual information. In the museum’s permanent exhibition, two Early Christian tombs are accompanied by explanatory texts and photos of their uncovery during excavations, so that the finds/exhibits can be fully understood in their archaeological and historical context. Last but not least, the well-known “Mytilene Hoard”, 7th century, is presented inside a set of two showcases facing each other in order to create an “enclosed” space, as an allusion to the secret concealment of precious objects in the ground. The above mentioned examples from the Byzantine and Christian Museum reveal the curators’ effort to present the archaeological finds in context, by keeping as much as possible the information concerning their discovery and their integration in a museum exhibition.
Deltion of the Christian Archaeological Society 25 (2004), p. 219-224. , Jun 7, 2004
L’objet de cette brève étude est de re-examiner l’inscription peinte qui accompagne Jean « entalm... more L’objet de cette brève étude est de re-examiner l’inscription peinte qui accompagne Jean « entalmatikos », un des nombreux donateurs représentés dans l’église rupestre de Karanlık kilise, en Cappadoce. Le terme « entalmatikos » est embarrassant et problématique, puisqu’il n’est pas attesté ailleurs. Il a déjà préoccupé la recherche et a nécessité une interprétation spéciale, selon laquelle il pourrait faire référence à la fonction du personnage et constituer ainsi un titre probable de l’administration byzantine, bien qu’il demeure inconnu dans les sources. L’examen attentif de l’inscription en question, dont certaines lettres ont été grattées et en partie détruites, permet de constater qu’il ne s’agit apparemment pas du mot « entalmatikou » et de proposer une nouvelle lecture pour l’inscription de Jean, un des donateurs principaux de cette église cappadocienne. Οn peut proposer la lecture suivante : ΔΕΗCΙC ΤΟΥ ΔǒΛǒ ΤΟΥ Θ(ΕΟ)Υ / Ιω(ΑΝΝΟΥ) ΕΝ[T]ΑΛΜΑΤΙ [C]ΟΥ, «Δέησις του δούλου του Θεού Ιωάννου, εντάλματί σου», Prière du serviteur de Dieu Jean selon ton mandat. Le fait que l’expression « εντάλματί σου » semble être adressée à la personne-même du Christ, aux pieds duquel le donateur est prosterné, suggère que le mot ένταλμα ne devait pas désigner exclusivement une mission confiée par le Patriarche, mais serait plutôt à entendre dans le sens plus large de « commandement » ou « mandat ». En somme, l’invocation du donateur Jean atteste à l’évidence que sa participation à la fondation de Karanlık kilise ne constitue pas un simple acte de piété personnelle, mais semble lié à un commandement ou à l’accomplissement d’un devoir particulier. Il pourrait s’agir d’une initiative personnelle de Jean, qui pensait ainsi obéir à un précepte d’inspiration divine, ou d’une sorte de mission qui lui aurait été confiée par une autorité d’ordre ecclésiastique ou administratif, très vraisemblablement, dans l’intérêt de l’Eglise.
Δελτίον Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας, 2013
The representation of the Holy Mandylion in Karanlik kilise (Goreme, Cappadocia, 11th c.) display... more The representation of the Holy Mandylion in Karanlik kilise (Goreme, Cappadocia, 11th c.) displays a series of special characteristics. An examination is made of the original iconography, which is enriched by elements of realism, and of the position of the representation above the Holy Altar of the south apse of the church. It is proposed that its purpose was to depict the "true" Holy Mandylion during the time it was kept in Edessa. The Mandylion was meant to consist an indisputable proof of the mystery of the Incarnation, so it was used as the main argument against the heretics and Monophysits who refused the human nature of Christ.
TRAVAUX ET MÉMOIRES by Antonis Tsakalos
by Association des Amis du Centre d’Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance ACHCByz, Sulamith Brodbeck, Helena Rochard, nada helou, Mat Immerzeel, Sophie Métivier, Simone Piazza, Nikolaos Siomkos, jean-pierre SODINI, Jean-Michel Spieser, Manuela Studer-Karlen, Maria Zoubouli, Tolga B. Uyar, Maria Xenaki, Antonis Tsakalos, and Paule Pagès Catherine Jolivet-Lévy a été l’étudiante d’Anatole Frolow qui fut mon prédécesseur à la chaire d’... more Catherine Jolivet-Lévy a été l’étudiante d’Anatole Frolow qui fut mon prédécesseur à la chaire d’art byzantin de l’université Paris 1. À la mort de ce dernier, je fus appelé à le remplacer en compagnie de Pauline Donceel-Voûte qui fut, peu après, choisie comme directrice de l’Institut néerlandais d’Istanbul et démissionna de son poste. Catherine me parut toute désignée pour la remplacer, d’autant que nos champs d’activité, l’archéologie de l’Antiquité tardive de mon côté, l’histoire de l’art de Byzance du sien, se complétaient parfaitement. Ainsi commença une collaboration pédagogique et scientifique qui fut efficace et harmonieuse car elle était fondée sur le recours aux documents, leur insertion dans leur contexte historique, culturel et souvent liturgique, ainsi que sur une méfiance commune des a priori stylistiques. Sa nomination, après son habilitation à diriger des recherches en 1996, comme professeur à Paris 1 puis comme directrice d’études à l’École Pratique des Hautes Études (Ve section) lui permit d’assurer pleinement un rôle éminent dans la formation à la recherche de jeunes chercheurs.
Exhibitions by Antonis Tsakalos
Conference Presentations by Antonis Tsakalos
Temporary exhibitions on Byzantine culture in the international milieu, 2000-2017: Innovation or ... more Temporary exhibitions on Byzantine culture in the international milieu, 2000-2017: Innovation or continuity?
Our paper deals with the 21st-century temporary exhibitions on Byzantine culture. Since the topic of the ideological approach to Byzantium by means of temporary exhibitions from the early 21st century to the present day has already been thoroughly explored, the paper discusses the prevailing museological approach to Byzantine culture and its dynamics.
At the dawn of the 21st century, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture organized an exhibition trilogy on Byzantine culture titled Byzantine «Hours, Works and Days in Byzantium» (fig. 1). From a museological point of view, it was an ambitious and pioneering project, since it consisted of three complementary shows on various aspects of Byzantine culture in three venues (Athens [fig. 2], Thessaloniki [fig. 3], and Mystras, 2001). For the first time in Athens, following the key exhibition Byzantine Art, A European Art (Athens, 1964), important loans from European and American museums were presented together with exhibits and recent excavation finds from Greece. Also, for the first time in Greece emphasis was placed primarily on Byzantine culture and not on Byzantine art. «Byzantine Hours, Works and Days in Byzantium» offered to the general public and the international scientific community the upto-date Greek scientific approach to Byzantium and was accompanied by two international conferences, cultural events, a comprehensive catalogue for each part of the trilogy, a concise catalogue on all three exhibitions and a CDROM. The show was praised by the Press and its attendance reached unprecedented levels.
Nowadays, seventeen years later, more than thirty exhibitions on Byzantine culture with loans from many countries have been organized in Greece and abroad. The facts speak for themselves: an average of two exhibitions per year is indicative of the increased interest in Byzantium worldwide; hence, the need for feedback and thoughts is evident. In terms of their topic, these exhibitions can be divided into two types: a) the «encyclopaedic» and b) the «thematic» exhibitions. These two types are not strictly defined and can sometimes overlap.
More specifically:
«Encyclopaedic» exhibitions approach the Byzantine culture from a global perspective (figs 6-9). They either provide a stroll through history (4th c. to the mid-15th c.), as is usually the case, or focus on a long time period, with the exhibition trilogy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York («Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century» [1977-1978], «The Glory of Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era, AD 843-1261» [1997] and «Byzantium: Faith and Power 1261-1557» [2004]) being an outstanding example. With attractive titles, which refer primarily to the grandeur of the Byzantine Empire, encyclopaedic exhibitions are organized by prominent museums that involve high cost. They are addressed to a wide audience, unfamiliar with Byzantium, presenting aspects of the Byzantine political institutions, Christian faith, everyday life and cultural exchanges of the Byzantines with their neighbours, thereby offering a «panorama» of the Byzantine culture. Consequently, these exhibitions include a large number of works, which are often loans from museums of many countries, and thus acquire an «international» character. They are usually followed by lectures, symposia, and educational programmes, as well as comprehensive and richly illuminated catalogues (figs 4-5) that contribute to their educational goal. Aiming at the overall presentation of the political, intellectual and artistic heritage of Byzantium, this exhibition type harks back to analogous shows of the 1990s organized by major museums in Europe and the USA.
From a museological point of view, «thematic» exhibitions –that deal, as globally as possible, with a specific topic of Byzantine culture– (figs 10, 11) appear to be more pioneering and innovative in comparison with their «encyclopaedic» counterparts. Some of them derive from research programmes, while others give rise to research. A typical example of this category is the exhibition «Architecture as Icon. Perception and Representation of Architecture in Byzantine Art», which was inspired by a multiannual research programme of the European Centre for Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments in Thessaloniki and Princeton University. The exhibition was presented at the Museum of Byzantine Culture (fig. 11), Thessaloniki, in 2009, and Princeton University Art Museum in 2010.
Modern digital technology can also play an important part in an exhibition, contributing to a comprehensible and interactive narrative (fig. 13). We, therefore, strongly suggest that the archaeological exhibitions should approach the past from a fresh point of view, supported by modern technological media, which should not substitute but interpret the exhibits.
As regards the aforementioned two exhibition types on Byzantine culture, «encyclopaedic» and «thematic», we believe that the former has completed its «lifecycle» since most of the countries that promote Byzantine studies and/or host museums with Byzantine artefacts, have already presented their own ideological and museological approach to the Byzantine Empire. Innovation could be probably achieved through «thematic» exhibitions, since:
- They can pick promising topics and offer new narratives based on outcomes of science programmes and/or newly published views of research. Special care should be taken to make scientific data available to the general public and not only to experts.
- They can include new excavation finds and objects from museum depots, presenting them in new contexts omitting the well-known highlights. Archaeological finds themselves could sometimes stimulate the creation of a thematic exhibition.
- They can create new jobs for young scholars, who, on the one hand, will contribute to the research and narrative of the exhibition offering a fresh outlook, and, on the other, will be trained through their participation in the project.
The original question «Exhibitions on Byzantine art or Byzantine culture?» has nowadays been replaced by the question «Exhibitions with an overall view of the Byzantine culture or «thematic» exhibitions, more demanding on their approach to the subject and also on their presentation?» In other words: repeat a tried-and-tested old «recipe» or move towards new directions?
Books by Antonis Tsakalos
Α. ΤΣΑΚΑΛΟΣ, Οι επιγραφές «μιλούν»: Στοιχεία για τους ανθρώπους και την κοινωνία της Ίμβρου, στο:... more Α. ΤΣΑΚΑΛΟΣ, Οι επιγραφές «μιλούν»: Στοιχεία για τους ανθρώπους και την κοινωνία της Ίμβρου, στο: Ε. Χαλκιά, Α. Μπεκιάρης, Α. Τσάκαλος, ΙΜΒΡΙΩΝ ΙΕΡΑ, Εκκλησιαστικά έργα στους ενοριακούς ναούς της Ίμβρου, Αθήνα 2020, σελ. 71-86 (ΙSBN 978-960-545-154-7).
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Symposia, Conferences, Workshops by Antonis Tsakalos
Papers by Antonis Tsakalos
Στο νάρθηκα της Karanlık kilise (Κόραμα-Καππαδοκία, 11ος αι.), στη σκηνή «Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε», ο χορηγός Ιωάννης απεικονίζεται γονατιστός μπροστά στον ευλογούντα Χριστό. Η επανεξέταση της επιγραφής του οδηγεί στο συμπέρασμα ότι ο Ιωάννης δεν έφερε τον τίτλο του «ενταλματικού», όπως είχε προταθεί παλιότερα. Σύμφωνα με τη νέα ανάγνωση «Δέησις τοῦ δούλου του Θεοῦ, Ἰωάννου ἐντάλματί σου», ο χορηγός ενεργούσε «κατ’ εντολήν» του Χριστού, προς όφελος της Eκκλησίας.
TRAVAUX ET MÉMOIRES by Antonis Tsakalos
Exhibitions by Antonis Tsakalos
Conference Presentations by Antonis Tsakalos
Our paper deals with the 21st-century temporary exhibitions on Byzantine culture. Since the topic of the ideological approach to Byzantium by means of temporary exhibitions from the early 21st century to the present day has already been thoroughly explored, the paper discusses the prevailing museological approach to Byzantine culture and its dynamics.
At the dawn of the 21st century, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture organized an exhibition trilogy on Byzantine culture titled Byzantine «Hours, Works and Days in Byzantium» (fig. 1). From a museological point of view, it was an ambitious and pioneering project, since it consisted of three complementary shows on various aspects of Byzantine culture in three venues (Athens [fig. 2], Thessaloniki [fig. 3], and Mystras, 2001). For the first time in Athens, following the key exhibition Byzantine Art, A European Art (Athens, 1964), important loans from European and American museums were presented together with exhibits and recent excavation finds from Greece. Also, for the first time in Greece emphasis was placed primarily on Byzantine culture and not on Byzantine art. «Byzantine Hours, Works and Days in Byzantium» offered to the general public and the international scientific community the upto-date Greek scientific approach to Byzantium and was accompanied by two international conferences, cultural events, a comprehensive catalogue for each part of the trilogy, a concise catalogue on all three exhibitions and a CDROM. The show was praised by the Press and its attendance reached unprecedented levels.
Nowadays, seventeen years later, more than thirty exhibitions on Byzantine culture with loans from many countries have been organized in Greece and abroad. The facts speak for themselves: an average of two exhibitions per year is indicative of the increased interest in Byzantium worldwide; hence, the need for feedback and thoughts is evident. In terms of their topic, these exhibitions can be divided into two types: a) the «encyclopaedic» and b) the «thematic» exhibitions. These two types are not strictly defined and can sometimes overlap.
More specifically:
«Encyclopaedic» exhibitions approach the Byzantine culture from a global perspective (figs 6-9). They either provide a stroll through history (4th c. to the mid-15th c.), as is usually the case, or focus on a long time period, with the exhibition trilogy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York («Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century» [1977-1978], «The Glory of Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era, AD 843-1261» [1997] and «Byzantium: Faith and Power 1261-1557» [2004]) being an outstanding example. With attractive titles, which refer primarily to the grandeur of the Byzantine Empire, encyclopaedic exhibitions are organized by prominent museums that involve high cost. They are addressed to a wide audience, unfamiliar with Byzantium, presenting aspects of the Byzantine political institutions, Christian faith, everyday life and cultural exchanges of the Byzantines with their neighbours, thereby offering a «panorama» of the Byzantine culture. Consequently, these exhibitions include a large number of works, which are often loans from museums of many countries, and thus acquire an «international» character. They are usually followed by lectures, symposia, and educational programmes, as well as comprehensive and richly illuminated catalogues (figs 4-5) that contribute to their educational goal. Aiming at the overall presentation of the political, intellectual and artistic heritage of Byzantium, this exhibition type harks back to analogous shows of the 1990s organized by major museums in Europe and the USA.
From a museological point of view, «thematic» exhibitions –that deal, as globally as possible, with a specific topic of Byzantine culture– (figs 10, 11) appear to be more pioneering and innovative in comparison with their «encyclopaedic» counterparts. Some of them derive from research programmes, while others give rise to research. A typical example of this category is the exhibition «Architecture as Icon. Perception and Representation of Architecture in Byzantine Art», which was inspired by a multiannual research programme of the European Centre for Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments in Thessaloniki and Princeton University. The exhibition was presented at the Museum of Byzantine Culture (fig. 11), Thessaloniki, in 2009, and Princeton University Art Museum in 2010.
Modern digital technology can also play an important part in an exhibition, contributing to a comprehensible and interactive narrative (fig. 13). We, therefore, strongly suggest that the archaeological exhibitions should approach the past from a fresh point of view, supported by modern technological media, which should not substitute but interpret the exhibits.
As regards the aforementioned two exhibition types on Byzantine culture, «encyclopaedic» and «thematic», we believe that the former has completed its «lifecycle» since most of the countries that promote Byzantine studies and/or host museums with Byzantine artefacts, have already presented their own ideological and museological approach to the Byzantine Empire. Innovation could be probably achieved through «thematic» exhibitions, since:
- They can pick promising topics and offer new narratives based on outcomes of science programmes and/or newly published views of research. Special care should be taken to make scientific data available to the general public and not only to experts.
- They can include new excavation finds and objects from museum depots, presenting them in new contexts omitting the well-known highlights. Archaeological finds themselves could sometimes stimulate the creation of a thematic exhibition.
- They can create new jobs for young scholars, who, on the one hand, will contribute to the research and narrative of the exhibition offering a fresh outlook, and, on the other, will be trained through their participation in the project.
The original question «Exhibitions on Byzantine art or Byzantine culture?» has nowadays been replaced by the question «Exhibitions with an overall view of the Byzantine culture or «thematic» exhibitions, more demanding on their approach to the subject and also on their presentation?» In other words: repeat a tried-and-tested old «recipe» or move towards new directions?
Books by Antonis Tsakalos
Στο νάρθηκα της Karanlık kilise (Κόραμα-Καππαδοκία, 11ος αι.), στη σκηνή «Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε», ο χορηγός Ιωάννης απεικονίζεται γονατιστός μπροστά στον ευλογούντα Χριστό. Η επανεξέταση της επιγραφής του οδηγεί στο συμπέρασμα ότι ο Ιωάννης δεν έφερε τον τίτλο του «ενταλματικού», όπως είχε προταθεί παλιότερα. Σύμφωνα με τη νέα ανάγνωση «Δέησις τοῦ δούλου του Θεοῦ, Ἰωάννου ἐντάλματί σου», ο χορηγός ενεργούσε «κατ’ εντολήν» του Χριστού, προς όφελος της Eκκλησίας.
Our paper deals with the 21st-century temporary exhibitions on Byzantine culture. Since the topic of the ideological approach to Byzantium by means of temporary exhibitions from the early 21st century to the present day has already been thoroughly explored, the paper discusses the prevailing museological approach to Byzantine culture and its dynamics.
At the dawn of the 21st century, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture organized an exhibition trilogy on Byzantine culture titled Byzantine «Hours, Works and Days in Byzantium» (fig. 1). From a museological point of view, it was an ambitious and pioneering project, since it consisted of three complementary shows on various aspects of Byzantine culture in three venues (Athens [fig. 2], Thessaloniki [fig. 3], and Mystras, 2001). For the first time in Athens, following the key exhibition Byzantine Art, A European Art (Athens, 1964), important loans from European and American museums were presented together with exhibits and recent excavation finds from Greece. Also, for the first time in Greece emphasis was placed primarily on Byzantine culture and not on Byzantine art. «Byzantine Hours, Works and Days in Byzantium» offered to the general public and the international scientific community the upto-date Greek scientific approach to Byzantium and was accompanied by two international conferences, cultural events, a comprehensive catalogue for each part of the trilogy, a concise catalogue on all three exhibitions and a CDROM. The show was praised by the Press and its attendance reached unprecedented levels.
Nowadays, seventeen years later, more than thirty exhibitions on Byzantine culture with loans from many countries have been organized in Greece and abroad. The facts speak for themselves: an average of two exhibitions per year is indicative of the increased interest in Byzantium worldwide; hence, the need for feedback and thoughts is evident. In terms of their topic, these exhibitions can be divided into two types: a) the «encyclopaedic» and b) the «thematic» exhibitions. These two types are not strictly defined and can sometimes overlap.
More specifically:
«Encyclopaedic» exhibitions approach the Byzantine culture from a global perspective (figs 6-9). They either provide a stroll through history (4th c. to the mid-15th c.), as is usually the case, or focus on a long time period, with the exhibition trilogy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York («Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century» [1977-1978], «The Glory of Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era, AD 843-1261» [1997] and «Byzantium: Faith and Power 1261-1557» [2004]) being an outstanding example. With attractive titles, which refer primarily to the grandeur of the Byzantine Empire, encyclopaedic exhibitions are organized by prominent museums that involve high cost. They are addressed to a wide audience, unfamiliar with Byzantium, presenting aspects of the Byzantine political institutions, Christian faith, everyday life and cultural exchanges of the Byzantines with their neighbours, thereby offering a «panorama» of the Byzantine culture. Consequently, these exhibitions include a large number of works, which are often loans from museums of many countries, and thus acquire an «international» character. They are usually followed by lectures, symposia, and educational programmes, as well as comprehensive and richly illuminated catalogues (figs 4-5) that contribute to their educational goal. Aiming at the overall presentation of the political, intellectual and artistic heritage of Byzantium, this exhibition type harks back to analogous shows of the 1990s organized by major museums in Europe and the USA.
From a museological point of view, «thematic» exhibitions –that deal, as globally as possible, with a specific topic of Byzantine culture– (figs 10, 11) appear to be more pioneering and innovative in comparison with their «encyclopaedic» counterparts. Some of them derive from research programmes, while others give rise to research. A typical example of this category is the exhibition «Architecture as Icon. Perception and Representation of Architecture in Byzantine Art», which was inspired by a multiannual research programme of the European Centre for Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments in Thessaloniki and Princeton University. The exhibition was presented at the Museum of Byzantine Culture (fig. 11), Thessaloniki, in 2009, and Princeton University Art Museum in 2010.
Modern digital technology can also play an important part in an exhibition, contributing to a comprehensible and interactive narrative (fig. 13). We, therefore, strongly suggest that the archaeological exhibitions should approach the past from a fresh point of view, supported by modern technological media, which should not substitute but interpret the exhibits.
As regards the aforementioned two exhibition types on Byzantine culture, «encyclopaedic» and «thematic», we believe that the former has completed its «lifecycle» since most of the countries that promote Byzantine studies and/or host museums with Byzantine artefacts, have already presented their own ideological and museological approach to the Byzantine Empire. Innovation could be probably achieved through «thematic» exhibitions, since:
- They can pick promising topics and offer new narratives based on outcomes of science programmes and/or newly published views of research. Special care should be taken to make scientific data available to the general public and not only to experts.
- They can include new excavation finds and objects from museum depots, presenting them in new contexts omitting the well-known highlights. Archaeological finds themselves could sometimes stimulate the creation of a thematic exhibition.
- They can create new jobs for young scholars, who, on the one hand, will contribute to the research and narrative of the exhibition offering a fresh outlook, and, on the other, will be trained through their participation in the project.
The original question «Exhibitions on Byzantine art or Byzantine culture?» has nowadays been replaced by the question «Exhibitions with an overall view of the Byzantine culture or «thematic» exhibitions, more demanding on their approach to the subject and also on their presentation?» In other words: repeat a tried-and-tested old «recipe» or move towards new directions?