The Last Emperor

 

In the Katholikon of the Old Monastery of Taxiarches in Aegialia, just 15 km from Aigio, two layers of frescoes of high artistic quality from the late Byzantine period are preserved, reflecting the aesthetic trends of Constantinople. During their conservation work, archaeologist Dr. Anastasia Koumousi, Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, discovered in the second layer of frescoes—which, based on stylistic criteria, is securely dated to the mid-15th century—the unique portrait of the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos. 

Unlike idealized representations, this portrait authentically captures the physical features of Constantine XI. He is depicted as a mature man with a slender face, radiating calmness and nobility.

The artist behind the fresco likely came from Mystras, where Constantine XI lived for five years as “Despot”—the title for a regional governor—before ascending to the throne. The portrait is linked to the generous patronage of the monastery by Constantine’s brothers, which is well-documented in historical records. This donation followed the resolution of their civil war (1449-1450), mediated by Constantine, as noted by the historian Laonikos Chalkokondyles. 

The Ministry of Culture’s announcement identifies the figure as Constantine XI Palaiologos, the brother of the monastery’s patrons, the Despots of Morea, Demetrios and Thomas. 

This fresco represents the last known portrait of a Byzantine emperor in monumental painting and the only contemporary depiction of Constantine XI during his reign (January 6, 1449 – May 29, 1453).

SOURCE: Ministry of Culture/The National Herald

Imperium Gallery

 We are a non-profit historical art museum dedicated to the study of modern nationalism and the preservation of its cultural artifacts. Through the medium of art, we hope to educate our patrons on the history and philosophy behind early 20th century revolutionary nationalism.

Fascism can be understood as the natural evolution of romantic nationalism, identifying and embracing the unique cultural characteristics responsible for bestowing a nation with its sense of identity. The ideology of Fascism is not only malleable, but fundamentally adaptive, taking on nation-specific forms rather than being a universally applicable and generic political theory. Whether it be traditional Italian Fascism, German National Socialism or Japanese State Shintoism, each nation’s idiosyncratic conception of Fascism is advised by their respective indigenous belief systems, folklore and history to be in consonance with the local polity and to invigorate these cultural traits. Reflecting this ethos, ethnospecific symbolism feature prominently in the Fascist aesthetic. Distilled of the perceived decadent impurities of postmodernism, its art offers an unclouded view into a nation’s soul and the spiritual essence of its people.

www.imperiumgallery.com

Germania

 

Spring 1943. 

A selection of portraits of soldiers of the 9th SS Panzer Division "Germania"  

made by Ernst Baumann

The Funeral of Shelley

"The Funeral of Shelley" by Louis Édouard Fournier (1889)

 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, United Kingdom

The Story Behind the Artwork

This 1889 painting by Louis Édouard Fournier captures the dramatic moment of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s cremation on the Italian coast. Shelley, one of the great Romantic poets, tragically drowned at the age of 29 when his schooner, the Don Juan, sank during a storm in 1822. His remains washed ashore near Viareggio, Italy, where quarantine laws dictated that his body be cremated.

The scene is not historically accurate but is rich with symbolism. Lord Byron, Mary Shelley (Shelley's wife), and Leigh Hunt are depicted mourning, though records indicate Mary Shelley was not present. Fournier paints the desolate beach and pyre as a solemn tribute to Shelley’s Romantic ideals—emphasizing his life as fleeting but profoundly beautiful, like the poetry he left behind.

Source: Stories Behind Art