The texts of inscriptions in depictions of the Dormition of the Holy Virgin in Byzantine art

Abstract

Along with the usual inscription that contains the title of the scene, depictions of the Dormition of Holy Virgin in the art of the Palaiologan period abound in texts inscribed on open books carried by holy bishops or scrolls held by the hymnographers and prophets included in the composition. Inscriptions can also be found in the episodes that sometimes accompany the central representation of the Virgin Mary's death. This paper seeks to compile the most typical examples of such inscriptions, identify their hymnographic and liturgical sources and offer iconographic interpretations.

Keywords

• Byzantine painting
• Dormition of the Holy Virgin
• inscriptions
• hymnography
• liturgical texts