INTERACTION AND ISOLATION IN LATE BYZANTINE CULTURE Papers Read at a Colloquium Held at the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, 1-5 December, 1999 Edited by Jan Olof Rosenqvist astANBU yy ‘ Sl eB Ts 2 14ee] A) Fe Cagaaea (Pe NINAS® SWEDISH RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN ISTANBUL TRANSACTIONS, 13“Oddities” and “Refinements”: Aspects of Architecture, Space and Narrative in the Mosaics of Kariye Camii QYSTEIN HJORT, University of Copenhagen KKARIVE CAMI, OR THE MONASTERY OF CHORA, is Constantinople’s mo- nument of late Byzantine art par excellence. We owe the church and its de- coration to the writer and scholar Theodore Metochites (1260/61~1332) who held the office of Grand Logothete, one of the most important gov- ‘ernment posts, under Andronikos 11. Around 1315, Metochites initiated a restoration of the monastery which was thereby extensively enlarged; at the completion of the work in 1321 the interior boasted a comprehensive decoration comprising both mosaics and fzescoes.' In many respects the decoration of Kariye Camii constitutes a swmrra, a bringing together of the lines of development from the phase in Palaio- logan art which covers the period culminating in the death of Andronikos 1 (c. 1290-1328), It does, however, also contain a distinetive refinement which, to the minds of many, is an unabashed decadence, pervaded with mannerisms, and adding new, unexpected features to the fully-developed Palaiologan style. Otto Demus pointed out the “overrefined figure schemes”, suggesting that the artists were “fascinated by curious refine- ments and oddities.” Exnst Kitzinger found the style “slightly prettified, mannered, and overcharged with conscious classical reminiscences.” 1 Basic ending: P. A. Underwood, The Karpr Djami, 1-3 (London and New York NY, 1966); dem (ead. The Range Djomi Sms n the Art of he Kare jam ond Intell Backgronnd (ince $971599) RG. Ountcrhout, The Aries of th Karge Cat in Itannk (Washington DC, 1987) Nong more recent lerure, mention must be made of the following: N. Teteranikoy, “The Pince fr the Non Mania (ve Lady of the Mongols) in the Deesis Program of te lanes Narthex Br Chom, Constantinople: CalAreh 43 (1995), 163-84; R. Ousteshout, “The Virgin of the Choon No Tage and ts Contents" in Ke Ousterhout and L. Beabaker (eds), The Saved Image aut and us tears and Cheago lll 1995), 91-109, P, Weiss, Die Movikon des Cbore-Kbners tn Tito {Seurgart and Zurich, 1997), RS. Neleoo, “Taxation with Representation: Visual naeative and the ital eld of the Kanye Cami” Art Hise 22 (1999), 56-2. PO emus, "Dic Entstchung des Paliologenstls in dee Nalere:” Berth un Xt. Iterationale By- _ontnran Kenge (Mich, 1958), W, 1, 1-83; idem, The Style of the Kariye Djami and Tts Pace Sine Development of Palacologan Act” in Underwood (ed), Th Kary Doni 4, 107-60, here at 158 3 kitringer, “The Byzantine Contibution to Westera Aet ofthe Twelfth and Thirteenth Cents rien,” DOP 30 (1966) 38-7 (rep. in idem, The Ar of Bygomin and hr Metical Wes Selected State, by f Kieinbaver (Bloomington Tad. ad London, 1976), No. Xt), here at 32 Beebe reece eee eee rion st dain La Byte Cab, }-O- Rosen Sesh Reseach Ine in sab “Transactions vo. 13 Socthoim, 2004)‘This applies particularly to the decoration of the narthexes, com- mencing, in the inner narthex, with scenes from the story of the Life of the Virgin and continuing with an extensive depiction of the story of the Infancy of Chist in the outer aarthex. This is concluded with a cycle de- picting the Ministry of Christ. "Toa great extent it seems that here, all rhe manifestations and charac- teristic of the style are brought into play. In Demus’ pioneering study of the emergence Of Palaiologan painting, with his later in-depth and detailed analysis of the style in Kariye Cami, everything appears to be scrupulously put under the microscope fo elucidate the peculiar character and nacure of the atyle: heads, faces, hands and feet, proportions, drapery, modelling, but also, with a somewhar more concise characterization, architecture, landscape, ere, Particulaely striking is the use of architecture in the narrative scenes. By way of introduction this can be briefly characterized thus: especially in the Context of spatial compositions there feature architectural set pieces and Other architectural elements which are exceptional, even bizarre. There is Asymmetry and dissonance which, in many respects, greatly diverge from ther Palaiologan art of the period, irrespective of any other similarities And parallels. Supplementing the analysis of Demus, Viktor Lazarev Speaks of the “fantastic constructions” and he architecrate’s rhythmic dy- famic.* Yet one is reminded that some of the “fantastic constructions” and mannerisms are not entirely devoid of precedents. Late antique floor fhosaics may provide certain parallels, as do the mosaics of the Great Mosque in Damascus (early Sth century) with their representations of un- realistic, almost dreamlike architectural constructions. It is now generally agreed that the artists at work were Byzantine and were brought from Constantinople” Tn Constantinople itself, Kariye Camii is unique: were one to com- pate the decoration with other surviving works in the capital there are, cu Fiously enough, no clear parallels. The frescoes in the Church of St. Eu- phemia immediately adjacent to the Hippodrome can be dated to the 1200s. Here an extensive scheme of decoration has been preserved: a Eu- phemia cycle, unfortunately now badly damaged, but one where the acchi- fectural elements and set pieces aze, (0 a certain extent, incorporated into the composition of the scenes. But in relation to the style in Kariye Camii, there is no instance of immediately comparable elements, ‘A contemporary work is the mosaics in Kilise Camii with the surviv- ing parts of a cupola decoration representing Old Testament prophets, which today can be convincingly dated to the final years of the thirteenth Century oF around 1300.’ The rendering of the figures has parallels in Ka- ye Cami, but the decoration does not include any representations of ar- chitecruce “There is only one other important monument which can be put for- ward as having any significance for the understanding of the style of Kat $Y faze stn ea pt ein atin 38 ae ' NoLPESSaetudy of ote and eonogsapty, se FB: Flac, Te Gro Masque of Damas (Ls den 20, "Smo an Rtn. petite pn ne re in Pape, “2m Si dee Mornin n dee Kile Cami Ist” Pann 32 (1978), 9-13 28 Oystein Hortye Cami with its extensive use of architectural elements nd its presenta: Fe eur Nace, ‘The work in question is the mosaics in Pethiye Cami, the son oe ppaistos Church, ‘The rebuilding and renovation of the church in aa inslogaa style was instigated by the wealthy provosirafor Michael Gla Hae ean retsife Maria Doukaina, but following, the death of Glabas, his Oe de wig the building by the construction of a parekkleson i Wis caso se individual fragments of frescocs in the church date from the ree ee gay are comtemporary with the Church of St. Euphemia, bur Tee Rinekreon with the smportant mosaics is fiom around 1310. The mo eae een eeahly speaking, comtemporary with those in Kariye Cami, but aa are, ened clatsiciam of che Fethiye Cami mosaics is norable” when TE pantd to Kanye Camil's decoration.” Even if this were a case of the Sone chop. oy by arusts of the same school, the Fethiye Camil mosa- Sar e vn share “the polished mannerism of the Kariye Camii.”” 2 Im an extensive study, Tania Velmans has mace an important contribution oe ae a ei oe of the architectural decoration and its role in the presen eee of aece in Palaiolopan painting. By way of introduction she draws fasion of space Mfact that the architectural elements beginning fo apPets atte tone aniddie of the ewellth century are Few, small and isolated!” seen ihe ucnessiga of space is achieved, for example in Monreale, by Sree ane ecuon of buildings wich two wings, it is clear that, generally. ShE.Aing, they conform to the laws of conventional perspective, Buildings eee te eieal side wings create the illusion of space, a fearure which deen erence general in the Duccento, and which exemplifies this ten BECOMES Ae representation of block-like objects or walls and fagades is sence the Clone, in a frontal plane, but when the planes are swung out see erotpet distortions and foreshortenings start fo appear which seem to cee eee che background, Tn more advanced representations, such as coach ito dings, the picare plane appears az reduced and becomes Pro- Be Saiy more complex as more viewpoints are incorporated, ely TO, Satation of architecture becomes increasingly complicated Be ee ee half of the thirteenth century. There is the emergence of ao ene eee ei dislocations."= Some of the familiar features are amplified dissonances: OF dt added, ‘There iz a sense of vagueness as far ax the loca eR as Petawakonges (Pee Sr te faite dead anv ot se pee Sader Ban ie ot ahe ela af Mca woh joie of Amaro ree ce SU le te dcr choco teprésemtation de Plan cmcnvg ae hata Rye Sra, tay es A. Sona, “La concen ds ies de aaa ees oe ca plore sume srt Sus le” ‘nie btn in IF Slat Havre Me ef ea sass opin conocer many ame ES eae a ty ete cfs towne ose one wees) by J Whi in The Bi and Rabi of Qpstcin Hort 29 \