L'épitaphios du despote de Ioannina Esaou Bouondelmonti et de son épouse Eudokia Balšić à Blagoevgrad

Abstract

The epitaphios of the Despot of Ioannina Esaou Buondelomonti and his wife Eudokia Balšić, exhibited in the Historical Museum of Blagoevgrad (Bulgaria), is a valuable piece of Byzantine liturgical embroidery of the early 15^th century. Preserved on the epitaphios is the donor’s inscription with the armories of the families of the donors, as well as a secondary dedicatory inscription, which testifies to the restoration of the piece in mid-18^th century and to its dedication to the Monastery of Rila. The iconography of the embroidered scene is unique, since the only figure displayed in it is that of the dead Christ and the usually depicted officiating angels-deacons, mourning angels and the symbols of the four Evangelists are omitted.