Most Late Byzantine liturgical objects that have survived are found in monastic treasuries, where they have been preserved through the centuries. Although a great deal of material has not survived, it is fortunate that numerous contemporary depictions of the celestial liturgy can provide us with further insight into these objects’ appearance and usage.
The corpus of extant liturgical objects either exhibits the continued development of Middle Byzantine forms, or displays increasing Western influence. This is not surprising, as Venice overtakes Byzantium as an exporter of luxury goods, and itself becomes the center of artistic innovation. Many of the liturgical implements required for the performance of the Orthodox liturgy parallel those used for the Catholic Mass—the paten for the bread of the liturgy; the chalice for wine; and censers for burning incense. Another object used in both the East and West would be rhipidia, a metal fan representing the tetramorph, or four-faced cherubim that hover around God’s throne. These fans frequently contain highly complex iconographic programs; they were placed at the end of long poles and held over the book of the Gospels as a gesture of respect, and also waved to keep insects away from the Eucharistic elements. Lighting devices fall under the rubric of liturgical implements. One of the most remarkable surviving examples in this category is a complete choros, or chandelier, comprised of twelve horizontal openwork strips, decorated with sphinxes. Each of these sections contains either four or six candleholders; numerous polykandela were suspended below the linked ring of strips, supported by openwork chains.
Activity:
Answer, What are the key attributes of Byzantine art and architecture? What was the inspiration of most of Byzantine art?