Visualizing Christ's Miracles in Late Byzantium

Monumental paintings of Christ's miracles in late Byzantine churches, including those at Mystras, were strategically crafted to serve political and spiritual agendas during the early Palaiologan period under Emperor Andronikos II. This study reveals that such iconography was not an isolated phenomenon but part of a broader cultural surge, including literary commissions, which used miracles as a tool to rewrite history and promote Orthodoxy. Through a comparative analysis of selection, grouping, and layout across multiple sites—Constantinople, Mystras, Thessaloniki, Mount Athos, Ohrid, and Kastoria—the research redefines the significance of this unique iconography. An interdisciplinary approach demonstrates how these visual narratives were inventively shaped by both secular and religious influences, offering new insights into the cultural dynamics of the era.

Rossi, M. A. (2024). Visualizing Christ’s Miracles in Late Byzantium. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009387644