Mosaic votive panels in Monreale Cathedral

The Norman kings of Sicily chose to decorate their churches with mosaics. The gold used in the mosaics was synonymous with ostentatious wealth and luxury, and celebrated power and wealth, and recalled the splendour of Byzantium. This artistic expression was the instrumentum regni of the new dynasty and each king sought to compete with the basileus. Hence, Roger II in the Martorana and William II in Monreale ensure that they are represented crowned by Christ, according to the traditional canons reserved for Byzantine emperors. In Monreale Cathedral, William II’s coronation panel is located on the northeast pillar of the central square, above the royal throne. Christ is sitting opposite the throne, and with one hand he is holding an open book, on which is written ‘I am the light of the world’[1], and with the other hand, he is crowning the king. Two angels are carrying the sceptre and the orb. William II’s clothing is in the pure Byzantine tradition and echoes eastern imperial clothing, as can be seen on Roger II’s panel in the church of the Martorana. The tunic with clavi, loros, crown with pendants are all vestimentary characteristics reserved for the basileus[2]. The frontal and hieratic qualities of William II give him a sense of immateriality, to illustrate the divine origins of power and the king’s celestial glorification. Located above the royal throne, this mosaic recalls that William II is ‘blessed by the Lord’ and is a ‘living icon of Christ’. The inscription proclaims MANUS ENIM MEA AUXILIABITUR EI[3] and reveals Christ’s divine presence in the king’s deeds. The sublimation of the insignia, and the sceptre and the orb borne by the angels confer the Sicilian royalty with a heavenly aspect.

The second votive panel or dedication is placed opposite the coronation of William II, above the Episcopal throne, on the southeast pillar of the central square. The image depicts the king presenting the Virgin with the model of his cathedral. She is represented sitting on the throne. She extends her hands to take the model, while the sovereign bends his knees in a devotional posture. In the upper part, the hand of God bestowing blessings emerges from the thick clouds and two angels prepare themselves to receive the archetype that the Virgin will offer them. Numerous decorations present the image of the donator offering his church, both in the East and in the West. Thus, at Sant’Angelo in Formis, near Capua, Abbot Desiderius is portrayed in the apse, offering the model of his building to Christ. At Santa Sophia in Constantinople, a panel dating from the beginning of the tenth century depicts Emperors Constantine and Justinian, who each present the models of the church and the city to the Theotokos. The Monreale panel is part of the Byzantine tradition, as attested by William II’s imperial clothing. There is a clear attempt to capture movement in the figures in profile and this lends the scene a certain intimacy. The king is showing great devotion to Mary, to whom he is dedicating his cathedral. The Marian theme is, in fact, omnipresent throughout the decorations[4]. With this votive panel, William II was making a personal plea for the special protection of the Virgin.

[2] See, for example, the numerous portraits of emperors in Santa Sophia in Constantinople: Alexander (912), Constantine Monomachos (eleventh century), Jean II Comnenus (twelfth century), etc.

[3] Extract from psalm 88:22, of the Vulgate: ‘for my hand will assist him’.

[4] A Marian axis is visible from west to east, with the image of Hodigitria above the entrance, the Sapientia Dei is in a medallion associated with the Maria Regina and the Virgin with the Child in the central apse.