Cambridge University Press Cambridge Byzantine Art and Italian Panel Painting Book

Explore the profound connection between Eastern and Western religious art in Byzantine Art and Italian Panel Painting. This scholarly work by Jaroslav Folda examines the Hodegetria, a revered Byzantine image of the Virgin and Child. The text follows how this specific iconographic tradition moved from the Byzantine world into the hands of thirteenth-century Crusader and central Italian painters. Readers will learn how the depiction of the Virgin Mary shifted from the Theotokos, the human mother of God, to a radiant Madonna residing in a heavenly realm alongside Christ and angels. Folda explains this artistic evolution through the specific use of chrysography, or golden highlighting. This technique played a significant role in how artists transformed these sacred images for different audiences. This book is an essential resource for students and collectors interested in the history of religious art, panel painting, and the influence of Byzantine styles on Italian artistic development.