The Virgin Mary embodied power rather than maternal tenderness
in the Byzantine world. Known as the Mother of God, she became a
guarantor of military victory and hence of imperial authority. In
this pioneering book, Bissera Pentcheva connects the fusion of
Marian cult and imperial rule with the powers assigned to images of
this All Holy woman.
Drawing upon a wide range of sources and images, from coins and
seals to monumental mosaics, Pentcheva demonstrates that a
fundamental shift in Byzantine cult--from relics to icons--took
place during the late tenth century. Further, she shows that
processions through the city of Constantinople provided the context
in which Marian icons emerged as centerpieces of imperial claims to
divine protection.
Pentcheva breaks new ground, contending that devotion to Marian
icons should be considered a much later development than is
generally assumed. This new perspective has important implications
not only for the history of imperial ritual but also for
understanding the creation of new Marian iconography during the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
Centered upon fundamental questions of art, religion, and
politics, Icons and Power makes a vital contribution to the entire
field of medieval studies. It will be of interest as well to all
those concerned with the cult of Mary in the Christian traditions
of the East and West.
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