A conversation with Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker in front of half of a diptych, c. 525-550 C.E., Constantinople, ivory, 41.6 x 14.3 x 0.9 cm (The British Museum)
Thank you for making such great content publicly available! I've been subscribed for years now and I'm always looking forward for your newest video. :)
Thanks for being in touch. We actually have quite a bit of content on the Americas: The Americas to 1900: smarthistory.org/americas-before-1900/ 1900 - WWII: smarthistory.org/modernisms-1900-1980/american-art-to-wwii/ Postwar: smarthistory.org/modernisms-1900-1980/postwar-american-art/ Latin American Modernism as well. smarthistory.org/modernisms-1900-1980/latin-american-modernism/
One of the most interesting aspects of its piece is its survival! I was hoping you'd have time to talk about its history -- where did it come from? How did it survive? It doesn't look like it was ever buried. Survivor from the back room of a monastery? Unknown?
Ivory is so lovely, but I feel for the poor elephants... That reminds me of a fun-fact I recently learned about them: they think humans are cute! lol. It was hilarious when I first heard it, but makes sense. We are tiny, expressive monkey things for all they know. 😋
I'm not religious but Byzantine and Christian art is just fantastic, it's art that really hits you emotionally, no other religion comes even close to that level.
You have a wonderful channel with great and wonderful video presentations! On this particular one, the epigram which is carved on top of the relief says: «ΔΕΧ(Ξ)ΟΥ (TΑ) ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΘΩΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ» which translates as “ACCEPT (THE) PRESENT AND LEARN THE REASON”. I.e.: Τhe X in place of the Ξ in proper ΔΕΞΟΥ is similar to scribing scribing an X in AXEPT instead of the proper CC. I do not understand where you found the posted unrelated translation “Receive this suppliant despite its sinfulness”. The ‘receive’ is OK, but the «ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ» in in plural tense and may mean the present items, situations or events. I believe you should validate and correct.
Thank you for reaching out. Scholars have interpreted this inscription in a few different ways. The interpretation in our video relies on accepted translations in recent scholarship. In addition to the link below to the British Museum website, you can find further discussion of the different translations in Robin Cormack and Maria Vassilaki, Byzantium: 330-1453 (London: Royal Academy of Arts, 2008), 383, no. 21. From the British Museum: Inscription content: + ΔΕΧΟΥ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΘѠΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ Inscription translation: Receive this man, although you know [his] sin www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_OA-9999
Thank you very much for your response! I respectfully accept the British Museum translation as more accurate for the following reasons: In explanation, the first part of the inscription ΔΕΧΟΥ (ΤΟΝ) ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ with the missing TON which articulates to a person can be translated as “Accept or Receive the presenter or this person or this man” and not as ‘the present votive item, the plaque’ witch I thought. The second part ΚΑΙ (= and) ΜΑΘΩΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ can be translated as “and have learned or known the reason or cause (of it)”. Therefore a liberal translation of this could be: “Receive this person, have you known and his reason for it”. Finally the museum translation “Receive this man, although you know [his] sin” assumes as ‘sin’ being the reason, is good. Thank you for providing me the related information so I could see it from a different perspective, one that is not directed to the human viewer or receiver of the plaque, but to a Devine one!
I am so glad we could be helpful. You may also want to look at the Robin Cormack and Maria Vassilaki, Byzantium: 330-1453 (London: Royal Academy of Arts, 2008), 383, no. 21 it is quite interesting. All the best
Thank you for making such great content publicly available! I've been subscribed for years now and I'm always looking forward for your newest video.
:)
Wow, thank you!
Museums are closed so these videos are very appreciated! Hoping to see more videos on the arts of the Americas as well
Thanks for being in touch. We actually have quite a bit of content on the Americas:
The Americas to 1900: smarthistory.org/americas-before-1900/
1900 - WWII: smarthistory.org/modernisms-1900-1980/american-art-to-wwii/
Postwar: smarthistory.org/modernisms-1900-1980/postwar-american-art/
Latin American Modernism as well. smarthistory.org/modernisms-1900-1980/latin-american-modernism/
Need more ancient history i loveeee this channel❤❤❤❤
The Tyrannies of Empires ASide, Nice Documentation and Commentary. Thanks.
Do you have any videos on pictorialism? Thanks for making great videos.
One of the most interesting aspects of its piece is its survival! I was hoping you'd have time to talk about its history -- where did it come from? How did it survive? It doesn't look like it was ever buried. Survivor from the back room of a monastery? Unknown?
Thanks for the videos 👍
Ivory is so lovely, but I feel for the poor elephants... That reminds me of a fun-fact I recently learned about them: they think humans are cute! lol. It was hilarious when I first heard it, but makes sense. We are tiny, expressive monkey things for all they know. 😋
I'm not religious but Byzantine and Christian art is just fantastic, it's art that really hits you emotionally, no other religion comes even close to that level.
This is such a large piece of ivory. Was it made from multiple pieces mended together and then caved? Another great lesson. Thanks
That image of Justinian at 2:00 comes from the Basilica of San Vitali in Ravenna.
FYI - each image shown is listed, in order of appearance, at the end of every Smarthistory video.
Love this ❤️
Loved it
You have a wonderful channel with great and wonderful video presentations!
On this particular one, the epigram which is carved on top of the relief says: «ΔΕΧ(Ξ)ΟΥ (TΑ) ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΘΩΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ» which translates as “ACCEPT (THE) PRESENT AND LEARN THE REASON”.
I.e.: Τhe X in place of the Ξ in proper ΔΕΞΟΥ is similar to scribing scribing an X in AXEPT instead of the proper CC. I do not understand where you found the posted unrelated translation “Receive this suppliant despite its sinfulness”. The ‘receive’ is OK, but the «ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ» in in plural tense and may mean the present items, situations or events.
I believe you should validate and correct.
Thank you for reaching out.
Scholars have interpreted this inscription in a few different ways. The interpretation in our video relies on accepted translations in recent scholarship. In addition to the link below to the British Museum website, you can find further discussion of the different translations in Robin Cormack and Maria Vassilaki, Byzantium: 330-1453 (London: Royal Academy of Arts, 2008), 383, no. 21.
From the British Museum:
Inscription content: + ΔΕΧΟΥ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΘѠΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ
Inscription translation: Receive this man, although you know [his] sin
www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_OA-9999
Thank you very much for your response!
I respectfully accept the British Museum translation as more accurate for the following reasons:
In explanation, the first part of the inscription ΔΕΧΟΥ (ΤΟΝ) ΠΑΡΟΝΤΑ with the missing TON which articulates to a person can be translated as “Accept or Receive the presenter or this person or this man” and not as ‘the present votive item, the plaque’ witch I thought.
The second part ΚΑΙ (= and) ΜΑΘΩΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ can be translated as “and have learned or known the reason or cause (of it)”. Therefore a liberal translation of this could be: “Receive this person, have you known and his reason for it”.
Finally the museum translation “Receive this man, although you know [his] sin” assumes as ‘sin’ being the reason, is good.
Thank you for providing me the related information so I could see it from a different perspective, one that is not directed to the human viewer or receiver of the plaque, but to a Devine one!
I am so glad we could be helpful. You may also want to look at the Robin Cormack and Maria Vassilaki, Byzantium: 330-1453 (London: Royal Academy of Arts, 2008), 383, no. 21 it is quite interesting.
All the best
@@smarthistory-art-history Thank you, I ordered the book!
Byzantine 🖓, the beginning of sculpture decline .
With the rise of Abrahamic religion, many things declined
@@Tsumami__
agreed 🖒