#Art #history has long emphasized the glories of the Byzantine Empire (circa 330–1453), but less known are the profound #artistic contributions of North Africa, #Egypt, #Nubia, #Ethiopia, and other powerful African #kingdoms whose pivotal interactions with Byzantium had a lasting impact on the #Mediterranean world. Bringing together a range of masterworks—from #mosaic, #
#Art #history has long emphasized the glories of the Byzantine Empire (circa 330–1453), but less known are the profound #artistic contributions of North Africa, #Egypt, #Nubia, #Ethiopia, and other powerful African #kingdoms whose pivotal interactions with Byzantium had a lasting impact on the #Mediterranean world. Bringing together a range of masterworks—from #mosaic, #sculpture, #pottery, and #metalwork to #luxury objects, #paintings, and religious #manuscripts—this exhibition recounts #Africa’s central role in international networks of #trade and #cultural exchange. With artworks rarely or never before seen in public, Africa & Byzantium sheds new light on the staggering #artistic achievements of #medieval Africa. This long-overdue exhibition highlights how the continent contributed to the development of the #premodern world and offers a more complete #history of the vibrant #multiethnic societies of north and east Africa that shaped the artistic, #economic and cultural life of Byzantium and beyond.
