The Byzantine Institute

Paris address : 4, rue de Lille (VIIe)

Dear Mr Whittemore,

Paris, June 21st 1932

Millet was not able to answer at once my question about accents on uncials and advised me to look in B. Gardthausen's book: Griechische Paleographie x). In the Bibliothèque Nationale I consulted two books giving an abreviated account of Gardthausen's book: Cacuel. Elements de Paleographie greque & Jagĉi's Receuil, with an article on greek letters of the IX-Xth cent. of the same author. There is not a work in both books about mural inscriptions in mosaic or paint, which I suppose are interesting you. The last uncial mss are of the IX and Xth cent. The system of accents is regularly employed in minuscule mss of the IX cent. not earlier. The IXth cent. Mss of S. Pbrg and Moscow libraries have all accents.

Frolov will look tomorrow for some other references. In the meantime I shall look over the known mosaic inscriptions.

In Lambros's book there is no real portrait of Basil nor Leo the VI – he gives as for all other emperors for whom there is no mosaic or miniature portraits, the pictures from the S.5.5. Mss of the Biblioteca Estense in Modena where byzantine Emperors have almost all the same face very roughly made and the same crowns (see three tracings)

On the other hand I looked over the byzantine coins catalogue and have found a coin of Leo VI (see tracing) in Wroth's cat. Pl. LI where this Emperor is very well represented in an unusual realistic manner so that one can judge with a certain degree of accuracy of his crown and garment. As you will notice he wears the same kind of crown as the basileus on the mosaic – without the jewelled « pendeloques » (the three parallel stripes are indicating the long hair). The emperor is also dressed in the same chlamis as on the mosaic.

In St. Sophia of Kiev above the great mosaic picture of the Virgin in the apse, immediately above the inscription in the lunette of the altar arch there is a deisis in mosaic (see Kondakov. Iconogr. B.M. T.II p. 73. fig 8) Christ of the usual type is in a medalion, half length, no throne of course. On his right is the Virgin in a medalion exactly similar to the one in S.S. with the same gesture, without a nimbus with the letters MP OY. On his left is the Prodromos, in a himation, not in camel skin of the latest type. That they are mosaic pictures of the same date as the great figure in the apse see Ainalov & Redin. Kievo-Sofiiskij Sobor. S. Pbrg 1889. sh. 51-52. I just found this out and as soon as I shall have a better picture of the mosaic I shall send you a tracing. There is no doubt I think that the female figure is the Virgin p.t.o.

The three stars on the maphorion (from where does Florinsky find that they mean the triple virginity of the Mother of God : before the birth of Christ, during and after the birth ? I must find it out) and the position of the medalion, the hands etc. indicate I should think that it can not be anything else.

I am finishing for today. I hope to send you something interesting tomorrow.

Ever yours Boris [Ermoloff]