THE CATHEDRAL OF CEFALÙ AND ROGER II’S PATRONAGE IN A MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT

Open Access
- Author:
- Hoge, Heather
- Graduate Program:
- Art History
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- February 25, 2019
- Committee Members:
- Elizabeth Smith, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Madhuri Shrikant Desai, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Madhuri Shrikant Desai, Committee Member
Anthony Cutler, Committee Member
Kathryn Elizabeth Salzer, Outside Member - Keywords:
- Norman Sicily
Roger II
Medieval Architecture
Medieval Sicily
Medieval Art - Abstract:
- This dissertation examines the patronage of Roger II at the Cathedral of Cefalù. The building campaigns at the Cathedral were ongoing for several decades following Roger’s coronation in 1130, and included changes in the shifting needs and desires of the patron. I examine the cathedral as an entire monument, taking into consideration the architecture, decorative programs, and functions, in order to understand how it relates to Roger’s goals as the newly crowned king. This includes looking not only at this monument, but also other objects and building connected to the royal court in Norman Sicily. The visual culture of the Norman court in Palermo displayed the cosmopolitan character of Sicily, exhibiting influence from the Christians of Western Europe, Byzantines in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Muslims of al-Andalus and North Africa. This is also the case at the Cathedral of Cefalù. In looking at the building holistically, and placing it within the context of the cosmopolitan society of Norman Sicily, I argue that the decisions made at Cefalù help promote the new kingdom of Sicily, particularly showing Roger as a powerful ruler with the same power, legitimacy, and status as his contemporaries.