The cloisters of Sicily’s Monreale Cathedral were built in the Arab Norman style in the early 13th century by Venetian artisans. Part of the Palermo area UNESCO site that features nine Arab Norman monuments, the cloister boasts 128 columns, all possessing different mosaic designs and many with capitols that illustrate biblical stories and episodes in…
Tag: mosaics
Pan Versus Cupid: Lust Versus Love
In art, look for Pan, who personifies carnal lust, and Cupid, the god of love, fighting it out. Come on, you know your own struggle of earthly “thirst” versus divine love! At the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina in Sicily you’ll find many age-old stories, such as this one, depicted on its remarkable…
The Cloisters Of Monreale
Norman King William II, “The Good” (1153-1189), commissioned Monreale Cathedral in the late 12th century. The cloisters were built in the Arab Norman style in the early 13th century by Venetian artisans. Today, the cathedral is part of the UNESCO site that features nine Arab Norman monuments. Its cloister boasts 128 columns, all possessing different…
Sicily’s Roman Villa Illustrates Life
Fisherman are hard at work getting the fresh catch for all of your feasting the next couple of days! This image from the Roman Villa of Casale in Piazza Armerina, Sicily, a 4th century AD estate that boasts 43,055 square feet of mosaic tile floors, shows us how they did it in ancient Roman times….
Surrounded By Saints On All Saints Day
The central apse of Monreale Cathedral features the benevolent Christ Almighty surrounded by saints. All Saints Day (Ognissanti… November 1) is a day to remember saints known and unknown. Pictured around Jesus are San Biagio, San Martino, Santo Stefano, San Pietro, San Clemente, San Giacomo, San Matteo, San Damiano, and many more that are featured…
Peacocks From Roger II’s Hall In The Norman Palace
The original mosaic artwork from Sicilian King Roger II’s Hall in the Palazzo dei Normanni (12th century) in Palermo and the print copying it, created by Gioaria di Marilena Trovato. I can’t wait to hang this art in my home with the others in the set I purchased in the Norman Palace.
The Light Of The World In Cefalù Cathedral
Santissimo Salvatore della Trasfigurazione (also known as Christ Pantocrator) anchors the apse of the UNESCO recognized cathedral, or duomo, of Cefalù. Boasting a remarkable Byzantine-style mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (pictured), the cathedral was commissioned in 1131 by the visionary Norman King Roger II after his ship found refuge on this spot during a harrowing storm….
Valentine’s Dinner In New York City
Experience Sicily is hosting a very exclusive event on February 16, 2019 to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Sicilian Style, in New York City! We’ve rented a private kitchen and are so excited to have two outstanding chefs to cook dinner for you: Giuseppe Sciurca, from Termini Imerese, Sicily, and Antonino Elia, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Music duo…
Awe-inspiring Mosaic Designs in Sicily
Every inch of the Cappella Palatina is embellished with intricate mosaics of inlaid marble, colorful stones, and golden glass tiles. This detail illustrates the multi-cultural mix (Norman, Arab, Greek, and Byzantine) that existed during Roger II’s 12th-century rule, when the Palazzo dei Normanni’s chapel was built.
Look Again! This Is In Campania
At first glance, this photo could have been taken in Palermo, but in fact, it is the floor of the Duomo di Casertavecchia in Campania! The Arab-Normann designs of the 12th century cathedral are most definitely related to those in Cefalù, Monreale, and Palermo, but they are located north of Naples, one of the capitals…