Late Byzantium Reconsidered: The Arts of the Palaiologan Era in the Mediterranean

Late Byzantium Reconsidered challenges the conventional narrative of decline during the Palaiologan era (1261–1453), demonstrating that Byzantine artistic and cultural production thrived even as the empire faced political crisis. Through comparative analysis, the volume explores parallels between late antiquity and late Byzantium, revealing continuity in creativity despite the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Case studies—including the reign of Andronicus II Palaeologus, scientific illustration trends, and regional art in Mystras and Crete—highlight resilience in artistic innovation, religious institutions, and cross-cultural interactions. The research employs interdisciplinary methods, integrating archaeology, art history, and textual analysis to reconsider decline as a multifaceted phenomenon, offering new perspectives on Byzantine legacy beyond classical frameworks.

Kuyumdzhieva, M., & Biliarsky, I. (2021). Late Byzantium Reconsidered: The Arts of the Palaiologan Era in the Mediterranean. Hiperboreea, 8(2), 282–286. https://doi.org/10.5325/hiperboreea.8.2.0282