Narthex Mosaic of St. Sophia, Istanbul

A New Approach

抄録

The Narthex Mosaic of St. Sophia, Istanbul, represents a composition consists of Christ enthroned, an emperor crouching in proskynisis at his feet, and the Virgin and an archangel in medallions. Most scholars have identified he figure of the emperor has as Leo VI, who was active in the late 9th-early 1Oth century. The author surmises the execution of the mosaic was not long after the recovery of the icon in 843 after the iconoclasm when the activity of the mosaic workshops was not fully developed, observing the unique technique of this panel, such as coating o f the tesserae with pigments. As the background o f the execution o f the Narthex Mosaic, the author suggests the circumstances around the recovery of the icon. According to Theophanes Continuatus, Theodora, wife of the late Theophilus, the last iconoclastic emperor, testified at the council in 843 that his husband had repented of his mistake of his iconoclastic doctrine on his deathbed and succeeded in exempting him from the accusation as an anathema. In the Byzantine times, the composition of the figures must have reminded spectators of Theophilus' repentance, the position of Theodora as an intercessor, and the innocent position of Michaellll, her son and an infant emperor after Theophilus.