The Sculptures of the Ayasofya Muzesi in Istanbul A Short Guide

by Claudia Barsanti, Alessandra Guiglia

The lapidary collection of the Museum of Saint Sophia constitues a priceless patrimony of sculpted marbles; though little known, it deserves of complete and systematic study. This guidebook is conceived as a useful companion devoted to the scientific divulgation of this important collection of sculptures of the city of Istanbul. Each marble sculpture, pleasantly arranged in the blooming garden in front of Saint Sophia, represents a signifcant "tessera" in the mosaic of the Late Antique and Byzantine city. This book offers all visitors to the Museum the opportunity to become more acquainted with these "marble treasures", treasures so frequently disregarded as a reslut of the overshadowing magnificence of the Justinianic building.

141 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much description, not enough analysis. The maps are copies from more academic sources and are practically useless- their fonts are too small to be read.
However, it did provide a nice overall analysis of the different types of capitals found in the area. Such differences would have been impossible for me to recognise before reading this book.