John Beckwith (1) (1918–1991)

This book traces the tendencies in art created in Constantinople from the founding of the city to its conquest by the Turks. For a layman in Byzantine art history, it is a challenge to grasp visually the distinctions and trends that the author points out in individual, small-sized black-and-white reproductions of mosaics, frescos, icons, coins, sculptures, ivories, tapestries, and manuscripts. But sometimes the detailed analytic style will rise to broader historical judgments such as very strong condemnation of the Fourth Crusade for having pillaged Constantinople and thoughts on the final conquest of the Turks.… (more)