An Interview with Vangelis Maladakis
What is your background and what research projects are you working on currently?
I studied History and Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessalonike, where I obtained a Master’s degree in Byzantine Archaeology, and supported my PhD thesis. I have been working as an archaeologist at the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chalcidice and Mount Athos, and I have taught at the University of the Peloponnese, the University of Athens and the National Hellenic Research Foundation. Currently, among other things, I am participating in the team for the restoration of the Old Abbot’s Quarters (Palaio Hegoumeneio) of the Monastery of Megisti Lavra, and I have undertaken the publication of the numismatic collection of the Iviron Monastery. At the same time, I have a constant and long-standing interest in the historiography of Athonite studies.
What is your role in the ‘Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy’ project?
My role in the project is to conduct research in the late Professor Kurt Weitzmann’s archive, which is primarily kept in the Department of Art and Archaeology (Visual Resources), and secondarily in the Firestone Library (Special Collections), the Mudd Library, and the Institute for Advanced Study (Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center). This is a very important material consisting of official documents, private correspondence, scholarly working notes, and a large number of photographs of Byzantine manuscripts, a documentation relating to Weitzmann’s stay on Mount Athos and his studies of the history of Byzantine manuscripts.
What have you learned about Professor Kurt Weitzmann and his time on Mount Athos since working for this project? Has anything surprised you?
The information gleaned from Weitzmann’s documents at Princeton is extremely valuable, for it sheds light on a wide spectrum of issues: his scholarly desiderata as a leading figure in Byzantine studies, his contribution to the history of the study of illuminated manuscripts, his way of working, and his relations with people at Princeton University, the Institute for Advanced Study, and the monks of Mount Athos. It therefore adds in an interesting way to what we know about his scholarly achievements through his published work, and about himself through his autobiography, the inspiring Sailing with Byzantium from Europe to America: The memoirs of an art historian (1994). What continually fascinates me about Weitzmann is the breadth and depth of his knowledge of Byzantine and medieval manuscript art, his dedication to his research subject, his unparalleled thoroughness, and the endless hours of work that have resulted in a large number of monographs and scholarly articles.
What is one of your favorite manuscripts/folios that you have explored during this research opportunity and why?
My favorite manuscript, among many others, is the Stavronikita MS 43, one of the most brilliant Gospel’s Books of the so-called ‘Macedonian Renaissance’, produced in Constantinople in the second half of the 10th century. The main reason, among others, is that in the depiction of the evangelists and the space in which they are depicted, the memories of ancient Greek art clearly coexist in iconographic details and style with the transcendence of Christian art of the Eastern Roman Empire. What makes it even more attractive is the assumption that this manuscript was probably commissioned to be given as a gift to the monastery on the occasion of its foundation, or that an important person who lived there left it as a legacy.
What did you like best about working on the Princeton campus?
Princeton is internationally one of the most ideal places to conduct research undistracted in every respect. Working on the Princeton campus offers a unique academic experience in many aspects: the University’s buildings and facilities, and their relationship with the natural environment, the extremely updated libraries, the impeccably organized archives, etc. But I am sure that the most important at Princeton is its people: they are knowledgeable, kind, and willing to open a scholarly dialogue and to work with you; and most essentially an incredible sense of freedom, which is the most basic prerequisite for scholarship.
Coffee or tea?
Definitely, long black espresso!
An Interview with Kyriaki Giannouli
What year are you in your education? Have you chosen a major? If you have, what is it and why?
As a doctoral candidate in the final year of my studies at the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of Ioannina, my research is centered on elucidating the significance of the Western Greek region in the pilgrimage routes to the Holy Land spanning from the 12th to the 17th century. This inquiry delves into the challenges and complexities encountered by pilgrims amidst varying socio-political contexts. While existing scholarship predominantly emphasizes the pivotal roles of Venice in facilitating departures and the Holy Land as the ultimate destination, there exists a notable oversight regarding the pivotal role of Greece in facilitating and shaping these pilgrimage journeys.
What is your role in the Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy project?
I contributed to the integration of foundational literature related to Mount Athos (Greece) into the database. My tasks involved evaluating the existing legacy entries in the Index, refining metadata, sourcing new color images, and integrating them into the digital repository. This initiative, spearheaded by the program managers whom I extend my gratitude to, aimed to enhance global scholarly access by providing researchers unable to physically access the print index at the Princeton campus with remote access to the images and associated metadata.
What have you learned about Mount Athos, archives, or photography since working for this project? Has anything surprised you?
During the three-month period of remote collaboration on this project, I acquired a wealth of knowledge regarding Mount Athos, particularly its historical and cultural significance within Greece and the broader Orthodox Christian sphere. I gained a comprehensive understanding of the abundant archival resources associated with Mount Athos, encompassing artifacts, documents, and images that offer invaluable insights into its historical and religious context.
One aspect that struck me was the extensive range and diverse nature of the archival material accessible, spanning from illuminated manuscripts to contemporary photographs. Moreover, I was deeply impressed by the meticulous efforts undertaken to digitize and organize this material, thereby facilitating global access for scholars and researchers. This underscores the imperative of safeguarding cultural heritage and ensuring its preservation and accessibility for forthcoming generations.
What is one of your favorite works of art that you have seen during this experience so far and why?
The chalice originating from the Vatopedi Monastery emerges as a significant subject for examination. Beyond the emotional attachment I harbor towards this artifact, given its distinction as the inaugural piece of art entrusted to me by my colleagues, its significance resonates across multiple academic domains, encompassing epigraphy, history, archaeology, and art history. Moreover, immersing myself in the study of this artifact at the outset of my engagement with the Connecting Histories: the Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy project has sparked profound introspection, shedding light, on inquiries central to my thesis.
Coffee or tea?
It depends on the weather!
An Interview with Talia Goldman
What year are you in your education? Have you chosen a major? If you have, what is it and why?
I’m a rising sophomore at Princeton intending to major in the Department of Art and Archaeology on the History of Art Track. I am so excited to be delving deeper into my long-held and continuing passion for art history–I love exploring how creativity and close looking provides infinite windows into the past and present. I am drawn to how visual art exists in social, cultural, and political contexts and provides a multitude of lenses through which to consider our own identities. I have absolutely loved my courses in the department this year and working with the Visual Resources Collection in my first year studying art history at Princeton!
What is your role in the Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy project?
I am a Digital Imaging Specialist for the Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy project. Using the copystand, I capture images of the Weitzmann negatives and edit the images in Adobe Photoshop. In this role, I’ve been able to enjoy many moments of learning, skill-building, and excitement about the Mount Athos manuscripts and digitizing the negatives.
What have you learned about Mount Athos, archives, or photography since working for this project? Has anything surprised you?
This project has been a wonderful learning experience for me! I’ve especially enjoyed learning about both analog and digital photography in this role and gaining insight into Weitzmann’s experience photographing the manuscripts through the folio details he chose to photograph or the subtle shifts between different negatives of the same folio. Going from the physical negatives to the digitized versions and combining analog and digital photography in one project, has allowed for many discoveries and surprises. In particular, I’ve been amazed at the astounding ornamentation in some of the manuscripts and the delicacy of the calligraphy and illustrated letters.
What is one of your favorite works of art that you have seen during this experience so far and why?
While most of the negatives are black and white, I came across a group of very small color negatives of some really beautifully illustrated folios. Because of the vibrancy of the color, these color negatives helped bring the manuscripts to life for me. Editing these particular images in Photoshop was quite exciting. Additionally, a group of images from the Philotheou monastery shows small sketches and looser drawings, and I can imagine the scribe’s process, perhaps planning for the folios or testing their pen with “doodles.”
Coffee or tea?
Tea (but coffee’s close)! Chai tea and London Fogs keep me going on campus, especially when it’s cold!
An Interview with Nadia Makuc
What is your role in the Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy project?
As a digital imaging specialist, I capture images of the photo negatives taken by Weitzmann and then edit them so that they can be archived and studied digitally. So far, I’ve digitized images of manuscripts from Lavra, Hilander, Iviron, Dionysiu, Esphigmenou, and Panteleimonos.
What year are you in your education? Have you chosen a major? If you have, what is it and why?
I am a sophomore who just recently declared Classics as my major! I really enjoy the interdisciplinary nature of the study, and I’ve fallen in love with the languages of Latin and Ancient Greek. I’m also minoring in Medieval Studies though, as my interests lie in Classical transmission and manuscript studies in the Medieval West and Byzantium.
What have you learned about Mount Athos, archives, or photography since working for this project? Has anything surprised you?
I’m grateful to have been able to see such a broad sample of manuscripts and get a sense for recurring themes and styles. While there are a lot of similarities among different manuscripts and even in between monasteries, there will be the occasional drawing, font, or format which sticks out as unique, as if begging to be studied! It’s cool to see my own interests line up with Weitzmann’s, indicated by him having taken photos from multiple angles or a close-up – I feel like I’ve come to know the photographer too just by seeing his photos.
What is one of your favorite works of art that you have seen during this experience so far and why?
There are so many ornate borders and quirky creatures which I’ve found fascinating, but I think one of my favorites has to be an illumination of Jesus Christ in a chalice, as if a faithful would be drinking the man himself. It is not a usual motif, but evidently the artist took liberty with drawing an interpretation of the real presence of Jesus in communion.
Coffee or tea?
Generally tea, though I’ll never turn down a Greek freddo espresso.