Exhibition “Byzantium through the Centuries” at the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

From June 24 to October 2, 2016, the Hermitage Museum held the exhibition Byzantium through the Centuries that enjoyed an exceptionally great success among the general public and professionals. The exhibition included unknown or little-known icons presented the variety of iconographic centers of Byzantium, and also Early Byzantine silver specimen found in the 19th century in the Crimea and Moldova. The concept – and this defined the structure of the exhibition – was purely art historical: to show the distinctive characteristics of the artistic language of Byzantium. The exhibition was displayed in the Nicholas Hall where visitors could see the art works from the 1st to the mid-15th century; the final chord was the painting Apostle St Peter of the famous El Greco. The objects of the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods demonstrated the basis that served as foundation for the new Christian art. Works of the 9th - 12th centuries from the museums of Greece, those themed with the art of the Crusaders in Byzantium, and Palaiologan icons of the 14th - mid-15th century – all reflected culture of local medieval centers and the high art of different schools of icon painting. The design of the exhibition made possible to grasp the whole hall, see the amazing unity and diversity of art works, feel their eternal spiritual value, and feel yourself in a special artistic surrounding. In connection with the exhibition the Hermitage issued two publications, a brochure The Art of Devine Beauty and Spirituality (Пятницкий 2016), and a richly illustrated volume Byzantium through the Centuries (Византия 2017).