The Crusader Paintings in the Frankish Gate at Nauplia, Greece: A Historical Construct in the Latin Principality of Morea

Abstract

The antechamber of the medieval gate at Nauplia, Greece, contains the only surviving monumental cycle in the Morea (Peloponnese) that can be directly attributed to Frankish sponsorship. Painted during the period of Crusader sovereignty over the Morea, the Nauplia murals represent a fusion of Eastern and Western elements. Although executed by a local painter trained in the Byzantine tradition, the program is replete with Western motifs. The prominently displayed coats of arms, the selection of certain saints, and the later rendering of a scene inspired by the Romance of Alexander establish Frankish patronage and suggest a painted agenda inspired by the Latin rulers of the region. The Nauplia paintings were intended to declare political ownership and alliances as well as to ensure the guardianship for the fortress through the evocation of the protective powers of important religious figures. The analysis of the program provides rare evidence for Frankish artistic activity in Crusader Greece and allows new insights into the political and ideological environment of the Latin Morea.

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