La morte del monaco nelle più antiche fonti figurative bizantine: dalle origini al secolo XI

This paper focuses on the theme of the Dormition of monks - hermits and/or coenobites - as represented in the earliest figurative sources of Byzantine art, and especially in illustrated manuscripts. The study of the material led to the identification of some recurrent features, such as the sobriety of the composition and details, the inevitable monastic habit, the enhancement of humility and asceticism. An attempt has been made to create a dialogue between images and written sources, thanks to which a complex and vivid picture has emerged, reflecting multiple meanings that have to be analyzed through the eyes of the past. This paper also deals with the issue of the origin of this iconographic subject and its relationship with other models.