De Basil, Macedonia
| Name of text: | De Basil, Macedonia |
| Author of text: | Constantini Porphyrogeneti |
| Date of text: | 9th century |
| Date of person in text: | d. 879 |
| Name of structure in text: | Kenourgion Palace |
| Type of structure in text: | palace |
| Date of structure in text | |
| Century of structure 1: | 9 AD |
| Century of structure 2: | |
| Country in text: | Turkey |
| Region in text: | |
| City in text: | Constantinople |
| Specific place of mosaic in text: | Dining hall |
| Description of mosaic in text: | The entire hall, from the top of the columns to the vault, is adorned, as is also the eastern dome, with a beautiful mosaic representing the author of the work [Emp Basil] enthroned in the midst of the generals who shared the labours of his campaigns, and who are offering to him the cities he has conquered. Just above, on the vault, are reproduced the Herculean military exploits of the Emperor; his labours for the happiness of his subjects, his efforts on the field of battle, and the victories granted to him by God. |
| Mosaic date in text: | 9 AD |
| Tesserae silver mentioned in text? | No |
| Tesserae gold mentioned in text? | No |
| Colour descriptions in text: | |
| Bibliography: | Constantini Porphyrogeneti, De Basil, Maced., etc. 1v, quoted in A. L. Frothingham, ‘Notes of Christian Mosaics. III. The Lost Mosaics of the East’, The American Journal of Archaeology and of the History of the Fine Arts, 4.2 (1888), 127-148, p. 135 |
| URLs: | |
| Comments: | Frothingham adds: From this hall a vestibule, whose walls were covered with elaborate mosaic-compositions, led into the imperial Bed-chamber. This room contained every variety of work in mosaic: the pavement with its peacock and eagles of coloured marbles; the lower dado with its fresh decoration of flowers in glass-mosaic; the upper walls with their pictures on a gold ground representing the emperor, the Empress Eudocia, and their children in imperial costume. |