Lo sfondo storico-iconografico dell'immagine di Cristo nel Tempietto Longobardo a Cividale.

Abstract

The wall-paintings in the Tempietto Longobardo di Cividale, ca. 750/760, are rendered in an unmistakable Byzantine style. They were probably made by a workshop lead by a master painter from Constantinople. As such, the paintings are important as rare evidence of figural religious art from the iconoclastic period. The technically most accomplished part of the decoration is the painting depicting Christ flanked by the archangels Michael and Gabriel in the lunette over the western door, the main entrance to the chapel. The very distinctive physiognomic type of the Christ indicates that the painter rendered a specific prototype. The article discusses parallels and traces the origin of this particular iconographic type.

Keywords

• art history
• Byzantine art
• painting
• Tempietto Longobardo
• Cividale