CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2012
| Author | Tolar, Tanja |
|---|---|
| Title | Images of a Seated Ruler in the Cappela Palatina A Comparative Perspective on Art in Islam and Christianity |
| Summary | This research focuses on selected imagery from the wooden ceiling of the Cappella Palatina in Palermo, Sicily with the iconographical element of a seated ruler as the main visual representation discussed. I argue that the image of a seated ruler in the Cappella Palatina has political connotations which I explore through widespread iconography of a “princely cycle” and the sacred kingship as an institution of power. The main scope of the thesis is on a selection of images of seated men with a goblet, where I deal with issues of portraiture in the Islamic painterly tradition, bringing into the discussion seating positions, dress, and facial specifics of the selected ceiling imagery focusing on the reception of the ceiling and on cross-cultural transmissions of its iconography. The conclusions are that Roger II was seeking all possible visual means to support his power and legitimacy to be the ruler of Sicily, his newly established kingdom. The reception and the gaze were the main tools in order to get such message across. The image of a seated ruler, which had played a central position in Islamic art for centuries, finds a modified connotation within a Christian setting and becomes a tool for portraying political power. |
| Supervisor | Al-Azmeh, Aziz |
| Department | Medieval Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2012/tolar_tanja.pdf |
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