Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950 : holy wisdom modern monument
"Built from 532 to 537 as the Cathedral of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia was little studied and seldom recognized as a great monument of world art until the nineteenth century, and Nelson examines the causes and consequences of the building's newly elevated status during that time. He chronicles the grand dome's modern history through a vibrant cast of characters--emperors, sultans, critics, poets, archaeologists, architects, philanthropists, and religious congregations--some of whom spent years studying it, others never visiting the building. But as Nelson shows, they all had a hand in the recreation of Hagia Sophia as a modern architectural icon. By many means and for its own purposes, the West has conceptually transformed Hagia Sophia into the international symbol that it is today. While other books have covered the architectural history of the structure, this is the first study to address its status as a modern monument. With his narrative of the building's rebirth, Nelson captures its importance for the diverse communities that shape and find meaning in Hagia Sophia."
History
xix, 278 pages, 10 pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 29 cm
9780226571713, 0226571718
53824134
Great church in ceremony and censure
Romantics and the throne, 1840-1860: Prussia and France
Stones of Byzantium: John Ruskin and the stones of Venice
Making a picturesque monument
Redemption in England: William Morris, W.R. Lethaby, and Lord Curzon
Starlit dome: the Byzantine poems of W.B. Yeats
Unveiling the mosaics: Thomas Whittemore and his American patrons
Revival to Wright: modern sophias