Whittemore, Thomas [Editor]; Byzantine Institute of America [Contr.]: The mosaics of Haghia Sophia at Istanbul: preliminary report (3rd preliminary report): The imperial portraits of the south gallery: work done in 1935 and 1938 (Oxford: printed by John Johnson at the Oxford University Press for the Byzantine Institute, 1942)

84

APPENDIX

Position

Detail

Particulars

166

Alexios
COMNENOS

167

168

169

170

Head

Hand

Crown

The high lights except the one on the ridge of the nose, mentioned
above, are shown by short strokes of a whitish colour near the upper
outline of the right and left wing and under both nostrils.
Cheeks: the olive-brown contour of the cheeks is followed on either side
of the face by a row of light olive-green tessellae, which on the right
cheek starts near the temple and on the left one a little lower than the
outer end of the left brow. They both end near the tip of the chin.
Below the whitish high light under the eyes and near the sides of the
nose, the flesh of the cheeks is rendered by alternating rows of greyish-
yellow and rose stone tessellae. The lower parts of the cheeks are in
light greyish-yellow tessellae.
Mouth: the parting of the lips is drawn by a row of small sealing-wax-red
glass tessellae. A small brown-black cube set at both ends of this row
marks the shadowed corners of the mouth. The upper hp is shown in
one row of large light brown tessellae, some of which are missing.
This row is interrupted in the middle by a thin semicircular row of
small whitish stone tessellae rendering the high light under the crease
above the lip. The flesh above the corners of the mouth is formed on
each side by a slanting row of light olive-green tessellae above which
is a row of greyish-yellow tessellae. The lower lip is shown by two rows
of rose stone, the upper row is lighter in tone. A short thin stroke of
high light is marked under the two corners of the mouth; under the
left corner this stroke is followed from above by a row of greyish-
yellow tessellae.
Chin: curved rows of greyish-yellow stone tessellae form the upper
part of the chin between the lower hp and the crease in its middle.
A large high light illuminates the centre of the chin. This is made by
three rows of whitish stone tessellae. The crease above this high light
is in olive-green. The lower part of the chin and its left side are formed
by two rows of rose stone, the upper being of a lighter tone. On the
right side the chin has been slightly damaged.
Only the right hand is preserved. Length, 0-127 m.; width, 0-086 m.
The outline of the upper part of the hand, the thumb, and the first three
fingers is made by a row of small burnt-seahng-wax-red glass tessellae.
From the joint of the third finger and along the lower part of the hand
the contour is drawn in brown-black glass tessellae. Cubes of the same
brown-black colour are set at the base of the parting between the fingers
and form the upper outline of the forefinger separating it from the
stem of the sceptre. The red outline of the upper or left side of the
hand is followed on the inside by a row of olive-green glass tessellae.
The shaded lower part of the hand and fingers is rendered in greyish-
olive and olive-green tessellae similar to those used for the lighted
parts of the hair. Rose tessellae give the transition of shadow into light.
The latter is given in light rose, greyish-yellow, and whitish tones.
The tendons on the back of the hand are clearly seen in rows of rose
stone tessellae.

Height from top of the cross to lower rim, 0-155 m.; breadth, 0-22 m.
The entire contour of the crown and of its different parts is outlined by
a thin row of reddish-violet glass tessellae of the same tone as those used
in the vestments. Two different kinds of gold are used for the crown:
the gold ground of the circlet and of the frontal vertical section is of
greenish-gold cubes, whereas amber-gold glass similar to that of the
general background is used in the upper part of the crown. The upper