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Byzantine influence on Nubian painting: the loroi and the gender of the Archangels

  • Magdalena Łaptaś
Published/Copyright: April 22, 2021
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Byzantinische Zeitschrift
From the journal Byzantinische Zeitschrift Volume 114 Issue 1

Abstract

The conversion of the Nubian Kingdoms, by the missions sent from Constantinople in the sixth century, was followed by Byzantine influence on Nubian art. One of the most obvious examples of this process was representing archangels dressed in loroi. This paper aims to present the evolution of loroi in Nubian art. In Byzantium, they were ceremonial stoles worn on special occasions by the emperors or the highest dignitaries. The archangels were also clad in loroi, acting as high officials at the celestial court. Interestingly, loroi were adopted only for the images of archangels in Nubia, not for the images of Nubian kings. At the end of the 10th century, the lower end of the loroi was expanded to a broader segment resembling the Byzantine thorakion, typical of female images. This could have added splendor to their garments, but could it have also highlighted the vague gender of the archangels?

Published Online: 2021-04-22
Published in Print: 2021-02-01

© 2021 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston

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  1. Titelei
  2. Inhalt
  3. Siglenverzeichnis
  4. I. ABTEILUNG
  5. Neue mittel- und spätbyzantinische Inschriften aus Bithynien
  6. Icons as punishers. Two narrations from the Vaticanus gr. 1587 manuscript (BHG 1390 f)
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  33. Tafelanhang
https://doi.org/10.1515/bz-2021-9011

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Titelei
  2. Inhalt
  3. Siglenverzeichnis
  4. I. ABTEILUNG
  5. Neue mittel- und spätbyzantinische Inschriften aus Bithynien
  6. Icons as punishers. Two narrations from the Vaticanus gr. 1587 manuscript (BHG 1390 f)
  7. Rituali di corte. Il Triclinio dei XIX Letti del Grande Palazzo di Costantinopoli
  8. Fragments of a steatite icon (diptych wing) with the Great Feasts cycle excavated in Chełm (eastern Poland)
  9. The philosophy of Constantine the Philosopher of Nicaea
  10. Ist Andronikos Synadenos um die Mitte des 12. Jahrhunderts in normannische Gefangenschaft geraten?
  11. Revisiting the church of Saint Spyridon in Selymbria
  12. A tale of two skeletons?
  13. The portrayal of Syrgiannes Palaiologos Philanthropenos in the historical works of Nikephoros Gregoras and John Kantakouzenos
  14. Byzantine influence on Nubian painting: the loroi and the gender of the Archangels
  15. On earth as it is in heaven? Reinterpreting the Heavenly Liturgy in Byzantine art
  16. Prontuario para una abadesa: El Escur. Φ III 11 e Irene Cumno (con una propuesta de la escritura inédita de Mateo Blastares)
  17. Composing the Μικρομεγάλη Ἰλιάς
  18. From Baghdad to Antioch and Constantinople: Ibn Buṭlān and the Byzantines
  19. The liturgy as a source of the epigraphic formulary: some examples from the late antique Peloponnese
  20. II. ABTEILUNG
  21. Zofia A. Brzozowska / Mirosław J. Leszka / Kirił Marinow/ Teresa Wolińska (eds.). Widmo Mahometa, cień Samuela. Cesarstwo bizantyńskie w relacji zprzedstawicielami innych religii i kultur (VII–XV wiek)
  22. Dorotei Getov. A catalogue of the Greek manuscripts in the National Library “Sts. Cyril and Methodius”, Sofia
  23. David Holton / Geoffrey Horrocks / Marjolijne Janssen / Tina Lendari / Io Manolessou / Notis Toufexis. The Cambridge Grammar of Medieval and Early Modern Greek
  24. Mirosław J. Leszka / Kirił Marinow (eds.). The Bulgarian State in 927–969. The Epoch of Tsar Peter I.
  25. Marina Loukaki. Les Grâces à Athènes: éloge dʼun gouverneur byzantin par Nikolaos Kataphlôron
  26. Ruth Macrides / Joseph A. Munitiz/ Dimiter Angelov. Pseudo-Kodinos and the Constantinopolitan court: offices and ceremonies
  27. Marina Molin Pradel / Kerstin Hajdú. Katalog der griechischen Handschriften der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek München. Band 5. Codices graeci Monacenses 266–347
  28. András Németh. The Excerpta Constantiniana and the Byzantine appropriation of the past
  29. Gaga Shurgaia. Vaxt’ang I Gorgasali re di Kartli. Alle origini dell’autocefalia della Chiesa ortodossa di Georgia
  30. Nachrichten
  31. Totentafel
  32. Nachruf - Klaus-Peter Matschke (14. 5. 1938 – 5. 9. 2020)
  33. Tafelanhang
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