CrimeaPRESS reports:
Today, the Museum of Fine Arts in Veliky Novgorod hosted the opening of the exhibition «Gold of Byzantium». This exposition is the result of the joint work of two federal museum-reserves that have implemented a large-scale project dedicated to the 570th anniversary of the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire. The main idea of the cycle of events dedicated to the memorable date is to show the spiritual and material heritage of Byzantium, which had a great influence on the development of world history and culture, using authentic archaeological artifacts, which are so rich in Tauric Chersonesus.
The materials presented in the exhibition from the excavations of Chersonesos and Veliky Novgorod will not only show the greatness of the vanished empire, but will also unite two museum-reserves and two historically connected ancient cities. Items of church architecture, monumental and decorative art, features and traditions of Byzantine culture, reflected in the spiritual life of the countries of the Eastern Christian world (primarily Ancient Rus’) — all this and much more will be seen by visitors to the new exhibition.
It features more than two hundred exhibits. Frescoes, mosaics, placers of smalt, church utensils clearly testify to the former splendor of the Chersonesos and Novgorod churches. Exquisite items made of gold, bronze, clay, bone and other materials paint pictures of everyday life. Some items came from such major Byzantine cities as Constantinople and Thessaloniki, others were brought by pilgrims from various holy places. Precious grains of high art have preserved for us frescoes and mosaics created by local craftsmen.
Guests will be able to see Byzantine coins with images of the Savior, the Mother of God and saints, the image of Christ in the numismatic iconography of the 9th century, pectoral crosses, icons and rings with Christian symbols, frescoes, icons and jewelry made of gold, which for centuries had an enduring material and spiritual -mystical value as «manifestation of the invisible Divine presence in the entire universe.»
Within the framework of this project, the researchers of the museum-reserve read a series of lectures in Veliky Novgorod on the history of ancient and medieval Chersonese, its excavations, the formation of stock collections, and the exhibition activities of a cultural institution. Head of the Department of Ancient History V. A. Nessel and Head of the Department of Byzantine History T. Yu. Yashaeva introduced the audience to different periods of the existence of the ancient city. N. L. Demidenko, the chief curator of the museum-reserve, spoke about the formation of the fund collection of Tauric Chersonese, and P. N. Khlebovsky, head of the exposition and exhibition department, spoke about the peculiarities of organizing archaeological exhibitions.
It will be possible to get acquainted with unique artifacts from May 30, 2023 to January 15, 2024 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Veliky Novgorod, Pobedy-Sofiiskaya Square, 2. We are sure that a visit to the exhibition «Gold of Byzantium» will allow not only to study the historical and cultural and the spiritual heritage of the past, but will also bring a lot of positive emotions.
source: Development Department of the State Museum-Reserve Tauric Chersonesus
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