Deisis (Deesis)

View of the spectacular “deisis” that is located in the Royal Gallery of the Hagia Sophia.  In a “deisis” Jesus Christ is in the center and is flanked by the Virgin Mary on his right (our left) and St. John the Baptist on his left.  Mary and John are portrayed as praying for humanity.

The mosaic dates to the thirteenth century—after the iconoclastic period.  It is described as “one of the finest extant works of art from the Palaeologian renaissance.  The gold tesserae are just that—covered with gold!

See the other “Deisis” images for details.