ISTANBUL, Turkey — A tenth-century mosaic in Hagia Sophia depicts the Virgin and Child flanked by two Byzantine emperors. Emperor Constantine I, holding a model of Constantinople, appears on the right, while Emperor Justinian I presents a model of Hagia Sophia on the left. This imperial mosaic represents the two most significant rulers in the church's early history.
Photograph by David Coleman. The imperial mosaic in Hagia Sophia, created in the tenth century, portrays a significant representation of Byzantine imperial and religious authority. The central figure of the Virgin Mary holding the Christ child is flanked by Emperor Constantine I, the founder of Constantinople, and Emperor Justinian I, who built Hagia Sophia. Constantine holds a model of the city he established as the empire's new capital in 330 CE, while Justinian presents a model of Hagia Sophia, which he completed in 537 CE. The mosaic exemplifies Byzantine artistic conventions in both its religious imagery and imperial portraiture, employing fine glass and stone tesserae to create detailed figures and rich colors. Though created centuries after both emperors' deaths, this mosaic represents their enduring significance in Byzantine religious and political ideology. The placement of these imperial figures offering gifts to the Virgin and Child demonstrates the Byzantine concept of imperial authority derived from divine sanction. This artwork serves as a crucial document of how the Byzantines viewed their imperial and religious heritage.
Size: 6706px × 4476px
Location: Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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