Icons from the Byzantine library of the Collège de France: a legacy of sacred art and cultural resilience

The precious art collection of the Byzantine Library of the Collège de France includes a vast array of remarkable works: ancient manuscripts and prints (Greek, Coptic, Ethiopian, Arabic, Russian and Armenian), Coptic fabrics and Greek and Russian icons, this collection is a testament to the vocations and commitment of Thomas Whittemore. Founder of the Byzantine Institute in Boston and of the Paris library of the Byzantine Institute between the 1920s and 1950s, Whittemore is also known for his role in the conservation of the mosaics of Saint Sophia and Saint Saviour in Istanbul. Among the remarkable objects in the collection are ten Russian and Greek Orthodox icons, created between the^15th and^19th centuries. The importance of this collection lies as much in its artistic as in its historical value.