TITLE: RABBULA GOSPELS ARTIST Florence, Biblioteca Mediceo Laurenziana, YEAR: 6th Century MEDIUM USED: TEMPERA

The RabbulaGospels, or Rabula Gospelsis a 6th century illuminated Syriac Gospel Book. One of the finest Byzantine works produced in Asia, and one of the earliest Christian manuscripts with large miniatures, it is distinguished by the miniaturist's predilection for bright colours, movement, drama, and expressionism. Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fastdrying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium

TITLE: Portrait Bust of a Woman with a Scroll,

YEAR: late 4thearly 5th century Early Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) Marble Artist: Margarito dArrezo MEDIUM USED: MARBLE
This superbly carved portrait bust presents a pensive woman with a compelling gaze. She holds a scroll, the symbol of an educated person. The delicate, sensitive carving and the highly polished finish suggest that it was carved in Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine empire, perhaps as the funerary monument of a leading member of the imperial aristocracy. Her long fingers draw attention to the scroll in her hand, indicating her pride in being recognized as among the educated elite in an era that prized learning for both men and women.

Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, commonlycalcite or dolomite. Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a building material.

most

TITLE: Fragment of a Floor Mosaic with a

Personification of Ktisis, YEAR: 500550 Byzantine MEDIUM USED: Marble and glass ARTIST: Memmi, Lippo
The bust of a richly bejeweled woman stares from this fragment of a floor mosaic that was once part of a large public building. The partially restored Greek inscription near her head identifies her as Ktisis, the personification of the act of generous donation or foundation. To emphasize her role as donor, she holds the measuring tool for the Roman foot. On her right a man extends a cornucopia toward her as if offering a gift; the Greek word for "good" is near his head. Originally a similar figure probably appeared to her left, and an inscription by his head would have completed the legend "Good wishes

Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonlycalcite or dolomite. Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a building material.

TITLE: Icon with Saint Demetrios,

YEAR: 9501000 Byzantine Inscribed in Greek:SaintDemetrios MEDIUM USED: Ivory ARTIST: Lorenzetti, Pietro
Standing erect, spear in hand, Saint Demetrios appears ready to protect the faithful. Among the most popular of Byzantine military saints, his name is inscribed in Greek by his head. Martyred in the second city of the empire, Thessaloniki, in the early centuries of the church, he remains today the patron saint of that city. The cut-out panel at the base of the icon may have supported a standard that would have allowed the image to be carried in processions. The holes in the icon may mean that it was used as a cover for a book in the Latin West.

Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals such as elephants, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Both the Greek and Roman civilizations practised ivory carving to make large quantities of high value works of art, precious religious objects, and decorative boxes for costly objects. Ivory was often used to form the white of the eyes of statues.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/byza/hd_byza.htm