Light Show

Some stunning photos from a study of light in Hagia Sophia done by Thomas Whittemore’s team in 1948.  Whittemore and his assistants were at Hagia Sophia uncovering and restoring its mosaics for many of the same years that Van Nice was there.  These images provide a good sense of what the interior building looks like in general, and more specifically, what it looked like at the time Van Nice was there.  Aren’t they incredible?

For the full set, see: Conservation of Hagia Sophia mosaics, Istanbul, 1931-1964. Study of Light. Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, available at Harvard University’s Visual Information Access page: http://via.lib.harvard.edu/.