Palatine Chapel/Cappella Palatina

Name of structure: Palatine Chapel/Cappella Palatina
Extended name of structure:
Type of structure: Church
Country or main area: Italy
Region within country or main area: Sicily
City or area within region: Palermo
Date of structure: Interior begun 1132. Outside portico: 1506.
Century of structure 1: 12 AD
Century of structure 2: 12 AD
Specific place of mosaic:

See description.
Brief descriptive contents of mosaic:

Apse: Christ, saints.
Dome: Christ, angels, Old Testament prophets, saints, scene of Annunciation, scene pf the Presentation at the temple.
Sanctuary: hetoimasia, angel, saints
North transcept: ascension, St John the Baptist, saints.
South transcept: Pentecost, Joseph's dream, Flight into Egypt, Baptism, Raising of Lazarus, Transfiguration, Entry into Jerusalem, saints.
North and south walls: apostolic cycle, Genesis cycle, saints.  
West wall: Christ, Peter, Paul, angels.


 


 
Date of mosaic: 1143-1170s
Century of mosaic 1: 12 AD
Century of mosaic 2: 12 AD
Silver tessera at site: Yes
Gold tessera at site: Yes
Colour tessera at site: Yes
Were other materials found at site (i.e., glass cakes)?

Unknown
Has analysis been done? Unknown
Samples taken from where? n/a
Excavation and restoration campaigns:

1753-77: restorer M. Moretti.
1782-1825: team led by C. di Arezzo.
1827-38: team led by P. Casanassuna
1838-: team led by A. Grimaldi
1852-: team led by R. Riolo
-2009: team led by G. Meli


 


 


 


 


 


 


 
Bibliography of mainly technical resources:

Margagliotta, A. & Mazzè, A., 'Materiali e techniche dei mosaici di Sicilia', in Atti del convegno di studi di Scienza e Beni Culturali 18, 2002: I mosaici. Cultura, Tecnologia, Conservazione (Bressanone 2-5 luglio, 2002), ed by G. Biscontin & G.. Driussi (Venice, Edizioni Arcadia Ricerche, 2002), 787-800.


Beck, I., 'The first mosaics of the Cappella Palatina in Palermo', Byzantion 5/40 (1970), 119-64.


Kitzinger, E., 'Studi documentari sui restauri della Cappella Palatina', in Atti dell’VIII Congresso di Studi bizantini (1953), 162-.
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