Art and Identity in Thirteenth-Century Byzantium

Antony Eastmond is Reader in the History of Byzantine Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, UK

• Contents: Preface; Introduction: the Byzantine empires in the 13th century; Hagia Sophia and its contexts; Architecture and the construction of identity; Trebizond as imperial capital: ceremonial and processions; Adam, exile and 'Byzantine' culture; Ornamental sculpture and cultural orientation: Trebizond, the Seljuqs, and the Caucasus; Wall paintings and politics: rebuilding empire?; Art, the liturgy and modernity; Manuel I Grand Komnenos: the embodiment of empire; Conclusion; Appendix of rulers; Bibliography; Index.

'This précis of Eastmond's arguments does no justice to the subtlety of his case or the wealth of his examples. I started from a position of scepticism, but found myself following the argument with fascination. I commend this book to all serious students of Byzantine monuments, and Byzantine political theory.' The Anglo-Hellenic Review 'Thorough annotation and indexing, plus a helpful chronological table of regional thirteenth-century rulers, round out a very worthwhile and balanced addition to university and Byzantinophile libraries.' Religion and the Arts ’The book is lucidly written and well structured, using numerous photographs, many of which are in colour, and some useful sketches of the less visible paintings to illustrate the text... it is definitely a good read.’ Art History ’Antony Eastmond writes with authority and clarity... This book [...] is dense and layered but will amply reward the careful reader. The complexity of the subject is eased by abundant illustrations - 102 black and white figures and 21 color plates... The bibliography is a model of its type, and the index is complete and well-ordered.’ Church History ’This long-awaited work is an excellent study of a key monument in Byzantine art and culture. ... The book is lavishly produced with good black and white and coloured photographs. The generous number of the colour plates is eminently laudable. Equipped with useful appendices, indexes and ample annotations, Eastmond's study of the church of St Sophia contributes significantly to the reappraisal of the monument, setting the tone for similar publications/studies and making a lasting contribution to the field.’ Byzantinische Zeitschrift