Lot 235
235
Athanasius, patriarch of Constantinople (1280-93), the Virgin platytera, seated facing on throne with high back, wearing nimbus of dots, chiton and maphorion ornamented with *, holding the infant Christ on her lap, her hands near his shoulders, the left touching the nimbus, her feet resting on a footstool, Christ wears nimbus cruciger, chiton and himation, to left and right of the Virgin's nimbus ***, all in border of dots, rev. in seven lines, ***, 35.67g. (Laurent Corpus V/1 no.37; Z.II, 41, and Spink Zacos I, 24), extremely fine
Athanasius, patriarch of Constantinople (1280-93), the Virgin platytera, seated facing on throne with high back, wearing nimbus of dots, chiton and maphorion ornamented with *, holding the infant Christ on her lap, her hands near his shoulders, the left touching the nimbus, her feet resting on a footstool, Christ wears nimbus cruciger, chiton and himation, to left and right of the Virgin's nimbus ***, all in border of dots, rev. in seven lines, ***, 35.67g. (Laurent Corpus V/1 no.37; Z.II, 41, and Spink Zacos I, 24), extremely fine

Details
Athanasius, patriarch of Constantinople (1280-93), the Virgin platytera, seated facing on throne with high back, wearing nimbus of dots, chiton and maphorion ornamented with *, holding the infant Christ on her lap, her hands near his shoulders, the left touching the nimbus, her feet resting on a footstool, Christ wears nimbus cruciger, chiton and himation, to left and right of the Virgin's nimbus ***, all in border of dots, rev. in seven lines, ***, 35.67g. (Laurent Corpus V/1 no.37; Z.II, 41, and Spink Zacos I, 24), extremely fine

Lot Essay

A monk since hie youth, Athanasius was appointed patriarch byAndronicus II Palaeologus. He was greatly concerned with helping the poor of the capital. For example, he organised a commission to regulate the price of corn. He was also concerned with the moral aspects of urgan life. Much of this work is recorded in his correspondence.