Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City (45 page)

In the first three bays of the inner narthex

The Cycle of the Life of the Virgin is based mainly on the Apocryphal Gospel of St. James, better known as the
Protoevangelium
, which is at least as old as the second century, and gives an account of her birth and life from the rejection of the offerings of Joachim, her father, to the birth of Jesus. It was very popular in the Middle Ages and is the source of many cycles of pictures both in the East and the West; compare Giotto’s cycle in the Arena Chapel at Padua, painted at about the same date as these, and representing many of the same scenes. Here there were 20 scenes, of which 19 are completely or partially preserved.

First bay, NW pendentive of dome

Zacharias the High Priest before the altar raises his hands in a gesture of refusal. (The rest of the scene in the NE pendentive is lost: it must have shown Joachim and his wife Anne bearing offerings. Their offerings were rejected because they had borne no children.)

In lunette of north wall

Probably Joachim and Anne returning home: only a maid looking out of a doorway is preserved.

In SE pendentive

Ashamed at the rejection of his offerings, Joachim goes into the wilderness to pray for offspring.

In lunette of east wall

(Left half of scene lost.) The right half shows the angel of the Lord announcing to Anne that her prayer for a child has been heard.

In east soffit of arch between first and second bays

Anne informs Joachim on his return from the wilderness of the annunciation of the angel. The scene is inscribed “The conception of the Theotokos”.

In east lunette of second bay

In east soffit of arch between second and third bays

She took her first seven steps when she was six months old.

Two scenes in domical vault of second bay

Note the pair of magnificent peacocks in the pendentives, representing incorruptibility.

In domical vault of third bay

The scene is inscribed “The Holy of Holies”. At the age of three the Virgin was presented as an attendant at the Temple, where she remained until she was about 12.

In east soffit of arch between third and fourth bays

While she remained in the Temple she was miraculously fed by an angel.

In west soffit of same arch

The central figures of the scene have unfortunately been destroyed.

In lunette above door from outer narthex

The priests decided to have the attendant maidens weave a veil for the Temple; the royal colours, purple and scarlet, fell to Mary by lot.

In west soffit of arch between second and third bays

When the time came for the Virgin to be married, Zacharias the High Priest called all the widowers together and placed their rods on the altar, praying for a sign showing to whom she should be given.

In west lunette of second bay

When the rods were returned to the widowers, Joseph’s rod began to sprout with green leaves and the Virgin was awarded to him.

In west soffit of arch between first and second bays

Here they are just leaving the Temple; the youth is one of Joseph’s sons by his former wife.

In SW pendentive of dome in first bay

Two scenes in west lunette of first bay

Joseph had to go away for six months on business; when he returned he found the Virgin pregnant and was angry (until reassured by a dream, as in the first scene of the next cycle).

The Virgin With Two Companions
The Journey to Bethlehem

Three scenes in north lunette of first bay

First scene inscribed: “Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying: Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt. 1:20)

Second scene uninscribed.

Third scene inscribed: “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem...” (Luke 2:4)

In east lunette of first bay

Inscription: “... (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.” (Luke 2:4–5, continued from above)

In east lunette of second bay

Inscription is simply the title
The Birth of Christ.
To the shepherds the angel says: “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
(Luke 2:10)

The Magi before Herod

Two scenes in east lunette of fourth bay

Inscription: “And behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born King of the Jews?”
(Matt. 2:1–2)

In east lunette of fifth bay

Partly destroyed. Inscription (mutilated): “And when he had gathered all the priests and scribes together he demanded of them where Christ should be born.” (Matt. 2:4)

In south lunette of seventh bay

Main scene destroyed, only title remaining. On right of window scene of Fall of Idols from the Walls of an Egyptian Town as the Holy Family passes by (from an apocryphal source).

In west lunette of sixth bay

Inscription: “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under.” (Matt. 2:16)

In west lunette of sixth bay

Central part and inscription destroyed.

In west lunette of fifth bay

Inscription: “In Rama was
there
a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning.” (Matt. 2:18)

In west lunette of fourth bay

Inscription is the title. The scene, from the
Protoevangelium
22:3, depicts Elizabeth with her baby son, John the Baptist, born about the same time as Christ, seeking refuge from the massacre in the mountains which open to receive her.

In west lunette of second bay

Inscription: “Being warned of God in a dream, he (Joseph) turned aside into the parts of Galilee: and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth.” (Matt. 2:22–3)

In west lunette of first bay

Inscription: “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Passover.” (Luke 2:41)

In vault of first bay (fragments only)

In vault of second bay

The first scene is inscribed: “This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.” (John 1:15)

The four scenes of the Temptation are accompanied by a running dialogue between Christ and the Devil (from Matthew 4:3–10): (1) Devil: “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” Christ: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (2) Devil: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Christ: “Get thee behind me, Satan!” (The Devil has offered “all the kingdoms of the world” represented by six kings in a walled town.) (3) “Then the Devil taketh him up to the holy city (and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple).” (4) Devil: “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down.” Christ: “It is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

In vault of third bay

Both badly ruined. The first illustrates John 2:1–11; the second Matthew 14:5–21.

In vault of fourth bay (fragments only)

In SW pendentive

In NW pendentive

In NE pendentive

In SE pendentive