Book: "Warhol/Icon: The Creation of Image"

Warhol/Icon was a major exhibition co-created by Haunch of Venison and Potnia Thiron Gallery in Athens, which explored Andy Warhol's obsession with fame through his work as a painter of ‘icons’. The emphasis in the exhibition was on the relationship between Warhol’s own Byzantine religious beliefs, Slavic background and devotion to his mystical mother, and his apparently unfettered celebration of an American celebrity culture.

Byzantine Frescoes of Ancient Philosophers

During the Ottoman occupation (15th-19th cent.) many churches and monasteries throughout Greece served as "secret schools" (Gr. "κρυφό σχολειό") where the writings of the ancients were studied in a private environment and taught by either monastics or clergy. Often these schools were in the narthex of churches, which is why these frescoes are often found in this area of the church. Because many ancient philosophers are said to have foretold the coming of Christ as well, they were revered by Christians for their wisdom, though not as saints (hence their depiction without halos).

The Iconography of Musical Instruments on Mount Athos

By Maria Voutsa

In Post-Byzantine iconographic representations on Mount Athos we encounter the artistic representation of musical instruments. Examples include the representations in the Sacred Monastery of Koutloumousiou, and we will mention others in our future posts. This shows a percussion instrument, probably of Persian origin. The nakers appear in Byzantine iconography from the 12th century onwards, a pair of kettle-like percussion drums of the same size hemispherically, with the open side covered by a membrane attached usually with ropes. They are struck with two thin keys that are called "xyliphia" (wooden sticks).

El Greco: A Defender of Byzantine Art

18 December 2008
Alpha Galileo

A new investigation could end many of the speculations about the works of El Greco and the man himself. A hand-written annotation to a book, similar to the glosses of Saint Emilianus, found in Spain in a copy of Lives of the most excellent architects, painters and sculptors by Giorgio Vasari, has led Nicos Hadjinicolau, a researcher from the Institute of Mediterranean Studies, to conclude that the artist – contrary to popular belief – was a defender of Byzantine art.