"Contemporary portrait of last Byzantine emperor discovered in Greek monastery
Aigialeia, Achaea, Greece, December 13, 2024
A unique portrait of the last Byzantine emperor was recently discovered at a monastery in Greece.
In the catholicon of the Old Monastery of Taxiarches in Aigialeia, archaeologist Dr. Anastasia Koumoussi discovered a unique portrait of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos within a second layer of mid-15th century frescoes.
The frescoes showcase high artistic quality from the late Byzantine period and reflect Constantinople’s aesthetic trends.
The fresco portrays a mature man in imperial regalia, wearing a luxurious loros over a light-colored sakkos, a jeweled crown, and holding a cross-topped scepter. His gold-embroidered
purple mantle features medallions containing double-headed eagles with crowns—a distinctive mark of the Palaiologos family—making this the only contemporary portrait of Emperor Constantine XI during his brief reign (January 1449 to May 1453) and the last
surviving imperial portrait in Byzantine monumental painting.
The artist responsible for the Katholikon’s second layer of illustrations probably originated from Mystras, the city where Emperor Constantine Palaiologos served as despot for a five-year period prior to ascending to the imperial throne. The imperial image can be linked to the extensive support his brothers provided to the monastery after their initial civil conflict (1449-1450) was settled—a resolution that came about through Emperor Constantine’s mediation.
“This portrait is connected to the last Byzantine emperor and represents the only one of him made during his lifetime. The painter must have captured the portrait features of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos from direct observation, meaning his model wasn’t an official imperial portrait, as was customary, but the emperor himself,” said Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni."
https://orthochristian.com/165478.html
Constantine XI: sole portrait of last Byz Emp discovered
Constantine XI: sole portrait of last Byz Emp discovered
Re: Constantine XI: sole portrait of last Byz Emp discovered
AI version of Emperor Constantine XI
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