To anyone seeking information about the black, the reading of the Greek and Latin patristic writings, which span almost the entire imperial period, is quite as disappointing as research in the iconography of that time and culture. Explicit mention of persons of color is extremely rare and not very significant. The concept of the black hardly goes beyond that of skin coloration, which seems to be...

When we embarked, years ago, on this investigation of the iconography of the black in Western medieval art, we had no idea of the unforeseen byways and unexpected depths to which it would lead us. The abundance and diversity of themes encountered necessitated the presentation of this volume in two parts. Were one to leaf through this book and sample the rich harvest of images without carefully...