Restoring Byzantium Miriam & Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery
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Virtual Reality: Outer Narthex, Bay 4


Turkey, Istanbul, Kariye Camii, Interior View: Outer Narthex, Bay 4 © Columbia University in the City of New York 2004

Iconography

Cycle of the Infancy of Christ and of Christ's Ministry
  • The fourth bay of the outer narthex continues with scenes from the Infancy of Christ.
The Journey of the Magi, in the fourth lunette, is located to the right of the entry axis. The Magi appear riding spirited horses, following the star; The Magi before Herod are shown carrying gifts and dressed as priests, before an enthroned Herod [103].

The Flight of Elizabeth and John is in the lunette opposite the journey of the Magi [110].  With a soldier in hot pursuit, his sword raised, Elizabeth and her son, the future John the Baptist, escape miraculously when a mountain opens up to hide them.
The mosaics of the next two vaults are almost entirely lost. In the fourth bay, however, one can discern the lower portions of Christ confronting a spotty-legged leper in the episode of Christ Healing a Leper [119].


This discussion of the Kariye Camii iconography is adapted from Robert G. Ousterhout, The Architecture of the Kariye Camii in Istanbul, Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1987.  We would like to thank Professor Ousterhout for generously allowing us to adapt his text for this Web site.
     
Overview

The outer and inner narthexes are decorated with mosaic cycles of the lives of the Virgin and Christ. Both begin at the northern end, with thematic and visual references linking the two cycles.

The cycle of the infancy of Christ
and of Christ's ministry begins in the domical vault of the first bay of the outer narthex and concludes in the south bay of the inner narthex. The story is taken up directly from the previous narrative. As in the inner narthex, the narratives are sometimes contorted to fit the domical vaults. Normally two different episodes appear in each vault.


   
               
 
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© 2004 Columbia University in the City of New York | Miram & Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery | Visual Media Center