Royal Gems of India

Everything that was fine and exquisite about Indian jewellery laid out before my eyes. It was an entire symphony of luminous diamonds, sapphires of the deepest blue, rubies the colour of pigeon’s blood, pink pearls and sea-green emeralds, most of which were set in gold…

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Barbara Athanassiadis
Hieroglyphics, Egypt

Once, on one of my trips to Egypt, I caught myself observing one of the huge columns of Karnak in Luxor with great interest. There was not an unoccupied space on the whole surface. Immediately my thoughts went to the Trajan’s column in Rome, so richly decorated with sculpted…

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Barbara Athanassiadis
Even Paintings Travel

Yes, even paintings travel and the path of their journey is interesting, especially if they arrive where they are now without any damage. Some have survived wars, disasters, lootings, jealousies and and the indifference of the people that have inherited them…

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Barbara Athanassiadis
Between Gothic and Byzantine

Hagia Sophia absorbs me even without seeing its mosaics, now lost. I imagine the enormity of its roundness covered with thousands of tiny gilded pieces of glass that shine under the reflection of thousands of flames of the candles…

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Barbara Athanassiadis