The mosaics of the Rotunda in Thessaloniki represent the most significant decoration preserved from the early Byzantine period. This book, richly illustrated, invites the reader to enter the building and experience the gold and silver mosaics that adorn the hemispherical dome and the arches.
After an introduction to the architecture of the Rotunda, the authors focus on the mosaics, exploring topics such as imperial patronage, portraits of martyrs, the iconographic program, as well as the technique of the mosaics and the aesthetic properties of the colorful images. The brief and concise text provides a thorough introduction to the mosaics. It also includes a timeline and a list of recent publications about the monument.
Color photographs, many of which were taken specifically for this edition, document the impressive properties of the exquisite mosaics.
Bente Kiilerich is a Professor of Art History at the University of Bergen, Norway. She studied Classical Archaeology and Art History at the University of Copenhagen, where she obtained her master's and doctorate degrees. She has published numerous studies on late antique and Byzantine Greek art, as well as on the classical tradition in contemporary art.
Hjalmar Torp is an honorary professor of Medieval Art History at the University of Oslo, Norway. He lived for five months in Thessaloniki during 1953–54, studying the mosaics of the Rotunda, for which he subsequently published several studies. A member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, he was awarded the prestigious Fridtjof Nansen medal in 1999 for the excellence of his research in early Christian, Byzantine, and medieval art.
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