MOSAIC ARTIST, Italian
(active 1145-60 in Cefalù)

Apse mosaic (detail)

1145-60
Mosaic
Cathedral, Cefalù

The bust of the Pantocrator was given the most prominent spot available, namely the apse calotte. The figure of Christ is much larger than all the other figures in the apse, so it can be seen as the dominant image from far back in the nave. Given the figure's vast dimensions, it is astonishing how extremely fine the work is, especially in the head of Christ. The intricacy of his face is emphatically underscored by the subtle lines of countless tiny stones used to model the flesh tone.




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