Massacre of the Innocents 1320

Editor: Here we have the "Massacre of the Innocents," a tempera and mosaic piece from 1320, found in the Chora Church in Istanbul. The stark imagery immediately makes me think about the story's brutality and how that must have impacted its original viewers. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: It's vital to understand this piece within its social and political context. The Chora Church, during the late Byzantine period, served not just as a religious space, but also a site of imperial power and piety. The 'Massacre' mosaic, rendered in tempera as well as mosaic tesserae, presents a visual justification of divinely ordained rule, juxtaposing earthly violence with the promise of spiritual salvation. The patrons chose to showcase a dramatic, violent scene. Why do you think this subject matter would be so prominently displayed? Editor: Perhaps it was a reminder of the dangers present at the time or maybe an assertion of power? The presence of such a raw depiction of infanticide in a sacred space does feel somewhat paradoxical. Curator: Exactly! And how does the architectural placement of the mosaic influence its reading? Think about how light interacts with the gold tesserae, or how the scene unfolds relative to the viewer's movement through the space. Was this accessible to everyone? Who was meant to view this and to what end? Editor: It feels like its placement in a holy place elevates it and creates more urgency and importance than a typical mural. Considering this, what have you found most striking or have learned after contemplating this work? Curator: Analyzing this mosaic, I am most interested in the ways it negotiates the fraught relationship between Byzantine imperial ambition and Christian ethics. It's a potent example of how art served as a crucial tool in shaping public perception. What about you? Editor: I am intrigued how art from so long ago has such an immediate emotional effect on modern audiences, while also holding a complex political and historical story for us to decode.