Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections at Art Institute of Chicago

Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections presents more than 60 superb artworks from the early Christian and Byzantine eras in the Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art. Originally exhibited at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the exhibition represents major artistic holdings from Greece – many of which have never been exhibited outside that country – consisting of shimmering mosaics, architectural fragments, manuscripts, luxury glass, silver, personal adornments, liturgical textiles, and painted icons.

Necklace or Ornament for a Dress, 4th century. Byzantine. Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens

For over 1,000 years, Greece was part of the vast Byzantine Empire, established in 330 A.D. by the emperor Constantine, who moved the capital of the Roman Empire eastwards to a small town named Byzantium in modern-day Turkey. Renamed and transformed into Constantinople, Byzantium would later lend its name to an empire of splendor and power that endured for more than a millennium. Greek replaced Latin as the language of the empire, and Greece itself was home to important centers of theology, scholarship, and artistic production. Heaven and Earth explores the rich legacy of the Byzantine Empire through five main themes: the transition from the Classical to the Byzantine world, spiritual life, intellectual life, the pleasures of life, and crosscurrents between East and West during the final days of the empire in the 15th century.

Closure Panel from a Templon Screen, 11th or 12th century. Byzantine; probably Athens. Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens

Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections was organized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, Athens, with the collaboration of the Benaki Museum, Athens, and in association with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Bracelets, 6th century. Byzantine. Benaki Museum, Athens

Major funding for Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections has been provided by the Jaharis Family Foundation, Inc. Additional support has been provided by the Stratis family, Charlotte Vern Olson, and Karen and Walter Alexander.

Fragment of a Mosaic with the Apostle Andrew, late 11th-early 12th century. Byzantine. Archaeological Museum of Serres

The exhibition’s US tour is made possible through OPAP S.A.’s major funding. Financial support is also provided by the A. G. Leventis Foundation.

Processional Cross. late 10th-early 11th century. Byzantine; Asia Minor. Benaki Museum, Athens

For more informations, please acces the website of the exposition:
http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/heaven-and-earth-art-byzantium-greek-collections