Κυπριακῷ τῷ τρόπῳ - Maniera Cypria, Byzantine Museum, Foundation Archbishop Makarios III, Nicosia, January 19–July 31, 2017
The 13th century with the subjugation and partition of the Byzantine Empire (since 1204 and onwards) by Western crusaders is a key point in the development of the Byzantine art in general. In Cyprus, already occupied since 1191 by the Crusaders and the autocephalous Church subjugated to the Pope of Rome under the Constitutio Cypria, known as Bulla Cypria, the change in art is evident with local peculiarities.
The exhibition "Kypriakῷ tῷ tropῳ - Maniera Cypria" aims to highlight the Cypriot painting during the 13th century and the ways of artistic symbiosis between two worlds, East and West, in the artworks of the period. Through the icons on display, in the exhibition will shed light to the parameters affecting this artistic production: the multicultural environment created in Cyprus during the first century of the Frankish conquest of the island, the establishment of the Latin Church, the presence of Western artists, but also refugees from Syria, Palestine, and probably also from Constantinople, Greek Kingdoms or Despotates. The purpose of this exhibition is the realization that the Cypriot art of the first century under the Frankish rule (1191-1300) is the continuation of the rich Byzantine art of post-Comnenian period with a mixture and foreign elements, which can be found in secondary parts of the compositions.
A bilingual Catalogue (Greek- English) written by distinguished researchers (D. D. Triandafyllopoulos, K. Vafeiadis, Char. Chotzakoglou, Chr. Hadjichristodoulou and I. Eliades accompanies the Exibition. The exhibition will diplay icons from the rich collection of the Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation and icons from all over Cyprus given on loan from the Holy Bischoprics of Morphou, Limassol and Paphos.
The exhibition, is curated by the director of the Byzantine Museum, Dr Ioannis Eliades, and is organized by the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation in collaboration with the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the death of the Archbishop Makarios III and the creation the Cultural Center of Archbishop Makarios III Foundation. This exhibition is part of the initiatives of Cyprus Tourism Organization to promote the religious tourism. This Exhibition is one of the official events of the Cultural Capital of Europe - Paphos 2017.