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How has the Orthodox liturgy come to have the shape it has? How different is it from the eucharistic rites of the Western churches? Hugh Wybrew's authoritative but splendidly readable book traces the development of the Orthodox liturgy from the Last Supper to the present day.
The Wilton Diptych is one of the most beautiful, yet most enigmatic, paintings ever made. The intricacy of detail, the refinement and sublety of its varied techniques and decorative effects, the lushness of its colours and the exquisite tooling of the gold, all in a remarkable state of preservation, are unmatched in any contemporary English or European panel painting. Superficially the imagery is straightforward. It shows Richard II (King of England 1377-99) being presented to the Virgin and Child by two royal English saints, Edward the Confessor and Edmund, and Richard's patron saint, John the Baptist. On the exterior are the king's personal emblem of the white hart and his coat of arms. Thereafter the diptych remains an enigma: no one knows precisely when, why, or by whom it was painted. The author explores new evidence which helps to clarify the diptych's meaning. As a result of recent investigations by the Gallery's Scientific and Conservation Departments, valuable technical information is presented about the materials used in its painting, which has a bearing on both its origin and serves to emphasize the extraordinary craftsmanship of the diptych.
Publisher description
The WIlton Diptych is one of England's greatest surviving medieval treasures, now in the collection of the National Gallery, London. This beautiful and enigmatic painting depicts King Richard II being presented to the Virgin Mary and Christ by John the Baptist and two English kings, revered as saints. The brilliant colour and lavish use of gold give it the appearance of a luxury object, yet its primary function was religious, as a portable diptych for the king's private devotions. The authors present a fascinating account of the iconography, historical context and style of this unique and precious object, together with a detailed explanation of the materials and techniques used to make it. They also discuss the likely identity of the artist, and the possible evidence that this picture was known to and referenced by William Shakespeare in his play Richard II. New photography, including exquisite details, gives unprecedented access to this remarkable painting, while the latest infrared imaging reveals hidden underdrawings.
This study puts the imagery of late Roman consular diptychs into focus. Its aim is to show that the meanings of the consular image are complex and multi-layered, and reflect the status and functions tied to the consulate in the late Roman period not only from an official perspective but also from an ideological one. The investigation is concerned with what motifs the consular repertory comprises, what forms the different motifs take and how they are applied, but also what may have been the motivations and purposes behind their selection, application and the mode(s) in which they are presented. Assuming that the motifs found within consular imagery carry meaning, what aspects of consulship do they illustrate, and how do they define these aspects? In answering these questions, the author shows that the consular diptychs present a source for the history of the late Roman empire in their own right.
This reference work incorporates the insights and expertise of leading liturgists and scholars of liturgy at work today, comprising 200 entries on important topics in the field, from vestments and offertories to ordination and divine unction. It is systematically organized and alphabetically arranged for ease of use. It also includes comprehensive bibliographies and reading lists, to bring the work fully up to date and to encourage further reading and research
Shifting Genres in Late Antiquity examines the transformations that took place in a wide range of genres, both literary and non-literary, in this dynamic period. The Christianisation of the Roman empire and the successor kingdoms had a profound impact on the evolution of Greek and Roman literature, and many aspects of this are discussed in this volume - the composition of church history, the collection of papal letters, heresiology, homiletics and apologetic. Contributors discuss authors such as John Chrysostom, Ambrose of Milan, Cassiodorus, Jerome, Liberatus of Carthage, Victor of Vita, and Epiphanius of Salamis as well as the Collectio Avellana. Secular literature too, however, underwent ...