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30 28 North tympanum, lunette, St. Ignatios the Younger In the westernmost lunette, St. Ignatios wears ecclesiastical garments like those worn by John Chrysostom (Fig. 27). With his right hand, he blesses and balances a Gospel Book. The panel dates to the late 9th century. (photo: Byzantine Institute) therefore subsequently repainted. Thus the Byzantine Institute photographs and color drawings of these patterns provide valuable records of their original appearance. In their restoration of Hagia Sophia, the Fossatis altered the style of the original exterior and interior decoration in order to suit the tastes of both the imperial courts of Europe and of the sultan’s court. The new romantic orientalizing style of Hagia Sophia’s decor was popularized through the Fossatis’ album, both in Europe and in Turkey. In contrast to the nineteenth-century restoration, the Byzantine Institute conservation campaign re-oriented Hagia Sophia in the direction of its original appearance.
29 Sketch of Thomas Whittemore (drawing: H. Matisse, courtesy of the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University Art Museums, bequest of Thomas Whittemore; copyright 1988 Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artist Rights Society, ARS, New York) The Byzantine Institute: Revealing the Past Background The purpose of the Byzantine Institute was to promote the study of Byzantine art, history, and archaeology. Thomas Whittemore (1871-1950), one of the institute’s founders, was its first and only director (Fig. 29). 16 Whittemore had previously taught English and then art history at Tufts University and later at Columbia University. The first president of the Board of Directors of the institute was Professor Robert Pierpont Blake of Harvard University, and among its members were Professor Michail Ivanovich Rostovtsev (Michael Rostovtzeff ) of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Robert Woods Bliss, who, together with his wife Mildred, conveyed Dumbarton Oaks to Harvard. Many prominent figures in American society understood the importance of financing Whittemore’s endeavor; the list of board members reads like an excerpt from Who’s Who in America (Fig. 30). The institute—which was active in Boston, Paris, and Istanbul—gave priority to uncovering and consolidating the mosaics of Hagia Sophia in one of the largest conservation projects of this century. Through connections in U.S., British, and French diplomatic circles, the institute established contacts in the Turkish government. President Kemal Atatürk was assured of the sound future of the project, 17 and with his permis- 16 P. Lemerle, “Hommage à Thomas Whittemore,” Byzantion 21 (1951), 281-83; W. L. MacDonald, “Whittemore, Thomas,” Dictionary of American Biography, suppl. IV, 1974, 890-91, with bibliography; G. Constable, “Dumbarton Oaks and Byzantine Field Work,” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 37 (1983), 171-76. 17 Whittemore also received assistance from Robert Blake, a 31
Page 1 and 2: Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul:
Page 3 and 4: © 1998 Dumbarton Oaks Trustees for
Page 5 and 6: Acknowledgments The catalogue and e
Page 7 and 8: Thomas Whittemore (photo: Maurice S
Page 9 and 10: mately, the Fossatis’ studies wou
Page 11: 7 5 6 (above) General view of Hagia
Page 14 and 15: 9 10 (right) Inner narthex, looking
Page 16 and 17: 13 Detail, the dome Each rib of the
Page 18 and 19: Aya Sofia reveal a radical change i
Page 20 and 21: 16 20 Detail, south vestibule, lune
Page 22 and 23: 19 22 Central nave after the Fossat
Page 24 and 25: 21 24 Fossati patterns in the apse
Page 26 and 27: 23 24 Lunette and barrel vault over
Page 28 and 29: Diagram of the mosaics in the south
Page 32 and 33: 30 sion Hagia Sophia was closed for
Page 34 and 35: on the conservation of the mosaics,
Page 36 and 37: Besides data on conservation, the d
Page 38 and 39: during the search for the figural p
Page 40 and 41: 36 Apse conch and bema vault The ce
Page 42 and 43: 39 South gallery, testing of the mo
Page 44 and 45: tached tesserae were reset by gluin
Page 46 and 47: 48 Gridding the apse mosaic During
Page 48 and 49: 50 48 Central nave, looking east To
Page 50 and 51: 50 52 53 South gallery, Emperor Joh
Page 52 and 53: 52 55 56 South gallery, the Deesis
Page 54 and 55: 54 58 59 The Deesis The panel repre
Page 56 and 57: 61 bed, had a more detailed paintin
Page 58 and 59: 63 Conservator’s notebook entry I
Page 60 and 61: In the central lunette in the inner
Page 64 and 65: 67 Central nave in the morning, loo
Page 66 and 67: The first step in making copies was
Page 68 and 69: apse and three letters from the ins
Page 71: Plate 2 Tracing of a Latin cross Gr
Page 75: Plate 4 Reproduction of St. Ignatio

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