Mosaics in the Palatine Chapel, Great Norman Palace, Palermo. Photograph by Christine Begley
«As we continue our journey around Sicily, today we landed in the beautiful port of Palermo and were transported some 1,500 years ahead of where we were yesterday, to the great Norman rule of the island. Our first stop was the Royal Norman Palace, with its exquisite mosaics. Before arriving, our Met lecturer, Frank Dabell, mentioned that these mosaics rival Ravenna. He was absolutely right. Beautifully preserved and grand in scale, the Palatine Chapel is simply breathtaking. And because we are on Sicily, the decoration is an extraordinary example of the synthesis of the diverse cultures—Latin Christian, Greek Christian, Byzantine, and Arab—coming together to create a particularly Norman style in this gorgeous personal chapel. It is what our lecturer called "variety within unity." A true Sicilian experience!»