click images to enlarge   Kariye Camii | Architecture & Decoration Professor Ousterhout Building History Description of Exterior Description of Interior Architecture & Decoration Pictorial Imagery ------------------------ Back to Kariye Camii Main A Byzantine church was not considered complete until its interior was decorated with mosaic or fresco, usually with complex icons and cycles of narrative scenes from the old and New Testaments. The architecture was animated and given meaning by the pictorial decoration. The selection and placing of images interacted with the services celebrated in the church to emphasize the message of the liturgy. The Kariye Camii displays a close interaction between the architecture and the mosaics and frescoes, suggesting a direct working relationship between mason and artist. Relationship of the architectural frame to the interior decoration. Istanbul, Kariye Camii, Interior view of the paracclesion a. Design of the dome to suit different media, and Kariye-type domical vaults, with flattish surfaces for narrative scenes. b. The Deesis mosaic and its position in the design of the complex—a dedicatory panel; its prominent position created numerous irregularities in the building; probably meant to be a founders' chapel. c. Entry sequence in the narthexes with scenes from the Life of the Virgin and Christ. Note the spatial relationships of scenes and the idea of containment. d. The Parecclesion with temporal layering; the architectural space has become an integral component of the iconographic program. Click here for an interactive ground plan keyed to images of the pictorial decoration. back to top back to briefing main briefing | image index | resources home page | site image index | site resources media center for art history and archaeology | columbia university