Museum of Byzantine Culture Thessaloniki
The Museum of Byzantine Culture ( Greek Μουσείο Βυζαντινού Πολιτισμού Mousío Vyzandinoú Politismoú ) exhibits exhibits from the Byzantine era. In addition to a permanent exhibition, there are temporary events with changing topics.
location
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The museum is located in the Λεωφόρος Στρατού Leofóros Stratoú 2 in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki in the immediate vicinity of the Archaeological Museum and the Aristotle University .
history
The museum opened in September 1994. After almost 80 years, the Byzantine treasures brought to Athens in 1916 were brought back to Thessaloniki.
As early as 1913 it was decided to build a "Central Byzantine Museum" in Thessaloniki, the second most important city of the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople . When troops landed in the city in December 1915, the decision was made to bring the existing exhibits to safety in Athens. 1,600 artifacts were brought to the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens and exhibited or stored there.
In 1975 the idea of building a museum was taken up again. In the following tender, the architect Kyriakos Krokos prevailed with his plans for the new building in the architects' competition.
Purpose of the museum
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Translation of the ministerial decision:
The museum is a scientific institution open to the public, of a broader cultural and educational nature, aims to collect, preserve, protect, conserve, display and study. The subject of the exhibition are the works and objects of the early Christian, Byzantine, medieval in general and post-Byzantine periods, especially from the geographical area of Macedonia, and the excavated material of the territorial scope of the 9th Ephorate of Byzantine antiquities, with which it closely Cooperation stands. The Museum of Byzantine Culture also works with the other ephorates if this is necessary for the enrichment and a more comprehensive, better and more scientifically founded representation of its reports. As part of the realization of its goals, the Museum of Byzantine Culture is aimed at the general public, enables an increase in the number of visitors through appropriate activities, promotes entertaining and educational contact with the public with its collections and offers a scientifically proven and internationally recognized type of museum presentation .
In 2003 the contract was expanded to include: acquisition, acceptance, storage, maintenance, recording, documentation, research, study, publication, promotion and promotion of objects from the early Christian, Byzantine, medieval and post-Byzantine periods in Northern Greece and the modern era with subjects related to Byzantine and Christian art.
The exhibitions
The museum has a floor area of 11500 m². Of this, around 3400 m² are reserved for the permanent exhibition. Over 4000 m² are intended for temporary exhibitions. The remaining area is occupied by workshops, the museum administration and storage rooms. There is an amphitheater with 62 seats for educational purposes. Of more than 46,000 existing individual pieces, 3,190 are on display.
The permanent exhibition
Byzantine and post-Byzantine pieces and works of art are presented in 11 rooms, which are dedicated to the following topics:
Room 1 - the early Christian church
Finds from the Proto-Byzantine period (4th to 7th centuries) are exhibited here. After the establishment of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great (330 AD), Christianity soon became the state religion. Since 1997 artifacts of the early Christian church and architectural finds in connection with the church buildings of the time have been shown, with affluent churches not only having mosaics but also marble floors and wall coverings, while poorer churches had mosaic floors and walls decorated with frescoes.
Room 2 - Early Christian Cities and Their Settlements
Objects of daily life such as pottery, glass vessels, looms etc. have been on view here since 1998. The lobby of a wealthy household in Thessaloniki has been recreated; thus the role of the city with private and public life should be highlighted.
Room 3 - From the Elysian realms to the Christian paradise
The exhibition refers to the program "The transformation of the Roman world from 400 to 900 AD", supported by the European Union. The exhibits consist mainly of graves, epitaphs and tomb paintings. This is how the changes in funeral rites and grave decorations have been shown since late antiquity. The exhibition opened in 1997
Room 4 - From Iconoclasm to the Glory of the Macedonian and Comnenian Dynasties
Since 2000, the period from the 8th to the 12th century has been dealt with in room 4. This so-called middle Byzantine period was considered to be the period of Byzantine humanism and Greek education. Objects of daily life such as coins, pottery, lead seals and clothing are on display.
Room 5 - The Dynasties of the Byzantine Emperors
Here the epoch of the Byzantine rulers from the time of Heraclius (610 to 641) to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 is considered. Coins and seals from this period have been on display here since 2000.
Room 6 - The Byzantine castles
The Byzantine castles were built in strategically important places. In order to be able to offer their residents and the people from the surrounding area protection over a longer period of time in times of war, they had all the facilities a city needed. The archaeological finds on display come from various castles in Macedonia. A video informs the visitor about the castles of Macedonia and Thrace. The exhibition in room 6 opened in 2000.
Room 7 - The Byzantine Twilight (1204 to 1453)
The late Byzantine period stands out for its artists and their works of art. Particularly the Slavic neighbors of Greece and the monastic republic of Athos are treated. The works of art have been exhibited since 2002.
Room 8 - The collection of Dori Papastratou
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The collection was donated to the museum in 1994. In addition to wooden and copper printing plates, you can see more than 200 prints from the 18th to 19th centuries. Some prints have been taken from the museum's permanent exhibition and are on display in other museums, both abroad and in Greece.
Room 9 - The collection of Dimitrios Oikonomopoulos
Since 2001, some of the 1460 artifacts that Mr Oikonomopoulos bequeathed to the museum have been on display. The collection contains pieces from prehistoric times through to the 19th century, with Byzantine and post-Byzantine artworks predominating. Mainly icons from the 14th to the 19th century are shown.
Room 10 - Byzantium after Byzantium, the Byzantine legacy in the years after the fall of the empire (1453 to the 19th century)
Only in 2004 was room 10 opened to the public in its current form. Here, the Byzantine legacy after the Ottoman Empire was conquered . The works of art on display illustrate various styles that were cultivated under the rule of the Venetians and the Ottomans. Icons, prints, embroidery, books, silver and gold work are exhibited.
Room 11 - Discovery of the Past
The last room of the permanent exhibition was opened in 2004. It documents the stages from the excavation of an object to its exhibition in the museum. With the help of archaeological material and digital representation, visitors are introduced to the phases of excavation, documentation, study and conservation.
Temporary exhibitions
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Since the opening of the museum there have been temporary exhibitions, most of which deal with the topic of " Byzantium ". There were, among other things, ideas about religious topics, daily life and Byzantine treasures in the monastic republic of Athos.
Furthermore, loans from other museums are presented and thematically related traveling exhibitions are housed.
Collections
The museum's collection contains works from the 2nd to the 20th century. They come mainly from collections, legacies, confiscations, donations or were acquired with private or state help. Most of the collection consists of coins, seals and smaller artifacts, followed by sculptures and icons. They come from Thessaloniki and Macedonia , from churches, private houses and cemeteries.
The icon painting works from the 16th and 17th centuries are of great artistic value. But also the rare textiles from the early Byzantine period (loan from the Benaki Museum ), or tomb paintings and mosaics are of particular importance. Selected artifacts are temporarily given to other museums at home and abroad as traveling exhibitions.
The collection includes:
Books and manuscripts
The collection includes 27 Greek books and manuscripts. The oldest date from the early Christian period; most of them were written on parchment. Some pages of the Koran and an Ottoman manuscript are of particular interest.
Wooden icons
The museum's floor contains more than 1000 individual works; among them are the 442 icons that were brought to Athens during the First World War. In 1987 the number of icons was increased significantly with the addition of 400 icons from the estate of Mr. Oikonopuolos. The collection is constantly being expanded, not least through private donations and bequests. It houses icons from the 12th century to the 20th century and comes from the areas where Greeks lived under Venetian or Ottoman rule. The works are of different origins, they come from islands, from northern Greece or Constantinople.
Miniatures
Over 7000 objects of this group were found in Thessaloniki and in the wider Macedonia. Almost all of them were discovered during organized excavations; only a few come from donations or have been confiscated. They date from the late Roman period through the Byzantine period to the time of the Ottoman rule. Jewelery made of gold, silver, glass and bones are just as represented as church objects. Tools made of different materials are also kept.
textiles
The existing textiles date from the 4th century to the 19th century and thus depict the entire Byzantine and post-Byzantine era. The woolen and linen tunics from Egypt are on permanent loan from the Benaki Museum in Athens.
Coins
The around 30,000 coins in the museum were discovered in Thessaloniki and Macedonia further on. They date from the late Roman times to modern times. The vast majority are bronze coins. Few are made of silver, some more are made of gold. In addition to individual finds, the coins mainly come from larger collections that were probably created by their owners for times of need.
Seal and lead seal
100 seals are in the possession of the Museum of Byzantine Culture. They were once used to verify documents. They are considered to be important historical sources for understanding the Byzantine administrative system and ecclesiastical hierarchy. The most important seals come from Tiberius II (698–705), Constantine VII (913–959) and the Patriarchs Photios (858–886) and Michael Keroularios (1043–1059).
Mosaics
The collection includes 70 mosaics that adorned the walls and floors of churches, private homes and public buildings. Most of them come from rescue excavations in Thessaloniki from the 4th to the 7th centuries. During this time, Thessaloniki was the center of mosaic art in the region. The mosaics are made of different materials. In addition to stones, marble and glass, gold leaf was also used. Saints, animals, plants and geometric shapes were shown.
Murals
Around 200 wall paintings from the 3rd to the 20th century are in the museum's possession. Among them are the most beautiful tomb paintings in Greece. The most popular motifs from the Greek and Roman eras are garlands, wreaths and ribbons. Wall paintings can be found in almost all rooms of the permanent exhibition.
Sculptures
The approx. 2000 sculptures come from the period from 2. / 3. Century to the 17th century. 120 sculptures are on permanent display in the museum. Almost all of them were found in and around Thessaloniki; most of them are architectural in nature, such as capitals in the Ionic and Corinthian styles. Few sculptures have survived from the 7th to 9th century, the so-called "Dark Times". From the 9th to the 12th century, the activity of artists increased significantly. Marble pictures with ecclesiastical motifs date from this period. The few sculptures discovered from the late Byzantine period point to the decline of the empire, which fell to the Franks in 1204 and to the Ottomans in 1453.
Modern art inspired by Byzantium
These are mainly modern paintings by Greek artists who were inspired by the early Christian, Byzantine spirit. In addition to oil paintings, there are prints and abstract paintings. Around 50 works are copies of old tomb paintings, mosaics and sculptures.
Printed books
The museum's collection consists of 22 books, most of which date from the 19th and 20th centuries. The works are written in different languages and deal with Christian topics. The covers of some books are valuable and lavishly designed. In addition to velvet covers, there are silver-studded bindings depicting Christian scenes or the crucifix.
The workshops and laboratories
The museum has seven different workshops and laboratories. They are housed on an area of 2750 m², each specialist department has a fire-proof storage room and an extraction system for the room air. Like the entire museum, the workshops are air-conditioned; The temperature and humidity are kept constant.
The workshops are well equipped; Modern and scientifically internationally recognized methods of diagnosis and conservation are used. They cooperate with national and international research centers within the framework of European programs. Students from Germany and abroad can do their internships in the workshops.
The departments in detail:
Icon restoration and conservation
The oldest workshop in the museum started its work in 1993. It consists of an X-ray room, diagnostics, a room for conservation and a joinery. The X-ray device is also used by other departments, the radiation exposure of employees is recorded for health reasons. The conventional X-ray images are digitized and saved on DVDs . Details of the surface of an object are examined with the electron microscope and displayed on a screen. Depending on requirements, the finds are further examined under ultraviolet light or infrared radiation. Occasionally, under the visible surface of an icon, an underlying paintwork is discovered. In individual cases the older painting is brought to light again. Two conditions have to be met: the painting below must be in good condition and it should be significantly older than the painting above. First of all, the visible image is conserved with the greatest care; after the restoration is complete, both paintings are obtained, the initially visible and the one below. Due to the immense effort, it takes months for an experienced restorer to complete the work, this work is carried out very rarely.
In addition to these non-destructive methods, destructive investigations are also used; tiny samples are taken and examined. As the laboratory is not equipped for these tests, they are carried out in the departments of the Universities of Thessaloniki or Athens. This lab, like some of the other labs, has chemicals to strip away unwanted layers. The chemicals are stored in special cabinets, which suck off any gases that may have escaped before the cabinets are opened.
Icons, woodcuts, painted textiles, leather and wood are worked on in the workshop. All work steps are documented. The first work of the conservators in 1994 was the project "Byzantine Treasures of Thessaloniki, The Return". There are collaborations with many national and international institutions. In addition to Greek monasteries and other institutions, these include the National Museum of Medieval Art of Korytsa (Albania) and the National Gallery of Arts of Sofia (Bulgaria).
Restoration and preservation of paper and books
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Originally, documents for the exhibition "Treasures of Mount Athos", which took place in 1997 in the rooms of the museum, were preserved in this workshop. Since then, the equipment has been adapted to the increased demands on the processing and maintenance of the exhibits. The specialized conservators have been working in a separate room since 2000 and take care of the diagnosis, documentation and preservation of the writings made of paper or parchment. While parchment and handmade paper age rather slowly, the preservation of books that were printed on industrially manufactured paper is more complex. Due to the proportion of acids they decompose more easily.
Parts of the staff are trained in palaeography and can therefore decipher the ancient scripts.
The workshop not only looks after the museum's holdings. She is a consultant and works for the Institute for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice, the city of Kozani and the monasteries of Athos. During 2007 and 2008 the laboratory worked with Camberwell College of Arts of the University of the Arts London.
Guided tours are offered in conjunction with the museum's educational program. There are also workshops on the subjects of bookbinding, papermaking and engraving.
Preservation of ceramics, glass and smaller finds
The workshop has been working since 1994. Next to the work area there is a storage room and an area that is used to clean up the excavated material. After the cleaning process, the finds are sorted. All parts of the same color, as well as all related shapes (handles, bottoms, etc.) are grouped together. They are then examined for their composition and condition. Drawings of all known shapes of clay and glass vessels serve as a guide for the composition of the individual parts. The individual parts are glued together and dried in a special oven.
Both ancient and modern methods are used for repair and conservation.
In addition to guided tours, workshops dealing with the manufacture of pottery are offered.
Metal restoration and preservation
Coins and other metal finds are cleaned mechanically and chemically here. If necessary, heavy soiling is removed with a sandblaster, and dental tools are used for finer work. As in some other workshops, there is a special cabinet for storing acids and other chemicals. Any gases that may have escaped are sucked off before these cabinets are opened. In addition to coins, smaller finds made of other materials such as glass or bones are also processed.
Restoration and conservation of mosaics
Approx. 600 mosaics have been preserved since 1995. Most of them are in the museum's exhibition, and the curators are responsible for their inspection and any repairs. Guided tours for students of archeology and students with a specific interest in conservation are offered in conjunction with the museum's educational program.
Preservation of stone finds
In addition to the sculptures and other stone finds in the museum, the staff also deal with the ancient finds from other regions of Greece. Since 1994, mostly marble artefacts have been professionally processed and preserved. As in the other workshops, all work steps are recorded, photographed and documented.
Restoration and preservation of wall paintings
The wall paintings in the museum come from churches and other buildings in Thessaloniki and the surrounding area. The museum's collection consists of around 200 pieces, dated from the early Christian period (4th to 7th centuries), through the post-Byzantine period to the modern age (19th and 20th centuries). Most of the paintings were done as frescoes , from the post-Byzantine period also as secco .
The detached wall paintings are applied to transportable media so that they can be exhibited in museums. Before that, they are examined microscopically and technically. In this way, the composition of the material on which the painting was applied is analyzed. Fractions of a painting are put together in the best possible way by the restorer and glued with the painted side onto a length of fabric, which in turn lies on a flat surface. A frame of the appropriate size is made and placed around the fragments, then the frame is filled with fiberglass-reinforced plastic . The fragments become trapped in the crowd. After the plastic has dried, the length of fabric is peeled off and the adhesive removed from the resulting work.
The storage rooms
Around 1200 m² of the building are used as storage space. Industrial warehouses served as a model. Sculptures are stored on pallets that can be moved by fork lift trucks. Icons and mosaics in horizontal sliding frames. An unconventional method is used to store amphorae. After the discovery of a Byzantine ship, it turned out that amphorae can be stacked to save space without damaging the clay vessels.
Awards
In 2015, the Museum of Byzantine Culture was the first Greek museum to be awarded the Council of Europe's Museum Prize. The prize has been awarded since 1977 for special services to cultural heritage.
In the "long film" category, the museum was awarded the golden prize of the international festival of Audiovisual Means on Museums and Cultural Heritage of AVICOM in 2016. It is awarded by the International Committee for Audiovisual Means and of New Technologies, Image and Sound of ICOM. The Museum of Byzantine Culture won the jury's vote against 32 international competitors.
Web links
Museum website (in Greek and English). Retrieved October 9, 2017 .
Remarks
- ↑ Ministerial decision act no.HMC / GNOS / 50304 / 26.10.1999 decision (Government Gazette 2018 / B / 11.17.1999)
- ↑ Decree 191 (Ministry of Culture, Government Gazette 146 / A / 13.6.2003)
- ↑ RELIGIOUS TOPICS . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ DAILY LIFE IN BYZANCE . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ ATHOS AND THE TREASURES OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Council of Europe Museum Prize
Coordinates: 40 ° 37 ′ 26 ″ N , 22 ° 57 ′ 18 ″ E