DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55207#0093
PARTICULARS OF COLOURS, MEASUREMENTS, ETC.
83
Position
; Alexios
COMNENOS
Detail
Head
162
163
164
165
Particulars
Damaged parts: a narrow stripe 5 cm. to 6 cm. wide along the rounded
angle of the panel, the entire figure from a little below the waist, a
few cubes are missing in different parts of the face, part of the right
eyebrow, inner corner of right eye, inner and outer corners of left eye,
left side of the nose, upper lip, part of left cheek and lower part of the
chin. The tessellae used for the background of this panel are of the
same size, quality, hue, and are set in the same way as the gold tessellae
of the background of the larger adjoining panel.
Colours of face: the face is outlined on either side by a single row of
olive-brown tessellae. Two tones of olive-green and light brown are
used for shadows; half-tones and lighter parts of the face are in three
tones of rose, light grey-green, and varying tones of brown. Some
contours are drawn in two shades of burnt-sealing-wax-red glass
tessellae, other contours in darkest blue-black glass. High lights are
in whitish stone tessellae. The face is represented in a diffused light and
is modelled in light half-tones. The size of the tessellae used in the face
varies from 5x6 to 1-5x2 mm.
Hair: the contours of the locks are in the blackest-brown tessellae.
Between these dark outlines the space is filled with large olive-brown
glass tessellae for half-shades and ohve-green ones for lighted parts.
Along the sides of the face a gradual transition of colours is used to
separate the curls from the flesh.
Forehead: in its upper part below the rim of the crown and along the
right and left temples it is drawn in light and dark olive-brown tessellae.
The left upper part of the forehead is made in three rows of rose tessellae
of which the lower is the lightest. Also in light rose are the prominent
parts of the forehead above the eyebrows. The rows of this colour
descend obliquely towards the middle part of the forehead, ending
above the wrinkle of the bridge of the nose. Between these lines and
the eyebrows the high lights are marked by a curved row of whitish
stone. High lights are equally above the rose contour of the right
prominent part of the forehead and in its middle part. Above the right
brow are used two different tones of greyish-yellow and rose.
Eyes: the eyebrows are in deep olive-brown in their upper part, and
darkest brown-black in their lower part. The same brown-black
tessellae are used to indicate the upper eyelashes, the contour of the
iris and the pupils. The iris is in light brown. The space between
the brows and the upper lids is in greyish-yellow stone tessellae. The
upper lids are light rose in their upper part and light grey below.
The lower lid is made in the same two colours. Most of the tessellae are
missing from the whites of the eyes. Whitish stone cubes still remain
at the outer corner of the right eye and the inner corner of the left eye.
The lower lashes are in deep olive-brown.
Nose: the contour of the nose and of the wings is drawn in one row of small
burnt-sealing-wax-red glass tessellae. The bridge of the nose is in olive-
green. To the right of this outline is a vertical row of light rose stone.
Next to this row following the ridge of the nose is a row of whitish
stone tessellae showing high light. To the right of this hne the lighted
side of the nose is made by a row of light greyish-yellow tessellae and
adjacent to it a row of light olive-green tessellae beginning a little
higher than the inner corner of the right eye. This row ends above the
wing of the right nostril. The wings of both nostrils and part of the
tip of the nose are made by light greyish-yellow stone tessellae. The
nostrils are indicated by a small brown-black tessella. The left side of
the nose is in light greyish-green glass: part of this row has lost its cubes.
l 2
83
Position
; Alexios
COMNENOS
Detail
Head
162
163
164
165
Particulars
Damaged parts: a narrow stripe 5 cm. to 6 cm. wide along the rounded
angle of the panel, the entire figure from a little below the waist, a
few cubes are missing in different parts of the face, part of the right
eyebrow, inner corner of right eye, inner and outer corners of left eye,
left side of the nose, upper lip, part of left cheek and lower part of the
chin. The tessellae used for the background of this panel are of the
same size, quality, hue, and are set in the same way as the gold tessellae
of the background of the larger adjoining panel.
Colours of face: the face is outlined on either side by a single row of
olive-brown tessellae. Two tones of olive-green and light brown are
used for shadows; half-tones and lighter parts of the face are in three
tones of rose, light grey-green, and varying tones of brown. Some
contours are drawn in two shades of burnt-sealing-wax-red glass
tessellae, other contours in darkest blue-black glass. High lights are
in whitish stone tessellae. The face is represented in a diffused light and
is modelled in light half-tones. The size of the tessellae used in the face
varies from 5x6 to 1-5x2 mm.
Hair: the contours of the locks are in the blackest-brown tessellae.
Between these dark outlines the space is filled with large olive-brown
glass tessellae for half-shades and ohve-green ones for lighted parts.
Along the sides of the face a gradual transition of colours is used to
separate the curls from the flesh.
Forehead: in its upper part below the rim of the crown and along the
right and left temples it is drawn in light and dark olive-brown tessellae.
The left upper part of the forehead is made in three rows of rose tessellae
of which the lower is the lightest. Also in light rose are the prominent
parts of the forehead above the eyebrows. The rows of this colour
descend obliquely towards the middle part of the forehead, ending
above the wrinkle of the bridge of the nose. Between these lines and
the eyebrows the high lights are marked by a curved row of whitish
stone. High lights are equally above the rose contour of the right
prominent part of the forehead and in its middle part. Above the right
brow are used two different tones of greyish-yellow and rose.
Eyes: the eyebrows are in deep olive-brown in their upper part, and
darkest brown-black in their lower part. The same brown-black
tessellae are used to indicate the upper eyelashes, the contour of the
iris and the pupils. The iris is in light brown. The space between
the brows and the upper lids is in greyish-yellow stone tessellae. The
upper lids are light rose in their upper part and light grey below.
The lower lid is made in the same two colours. Most of the tessellae are
missing from the whites of the eyes. Whitish stone cubes still remain
at the outer corner of the right eye and the inner corner of the left eye.
The lower lashes are in deep olive-brown.
Nose: the contour of the nose and of the wings is drawn in one row of small
burnt-sealing-wax-red glass tessellae. The bridge of the nose is in olive-
green. To the right of this outline is a vertical row of light rose stone.
Next to this row following the ridge of the nose is a row of whitish
stone tessellae showing high light. To the right of this hne the lighted
side of the nose is made by a row of light greyish-yellow tessellae and
adjacent to it a row of light olive-green tessellae beginning a little
higher than the inner corner of the right eye. This row ends above the
wing of the right nostril. The wings of both nostrils and part of the
tip of the nose are made by light greyish-yellow stone tessellae. The
nostrils are indicated by a small brown-black tessella. The left side of
the nose is in light greyish-green glass: part of this row has lost its cubes.
l 2