Nativity Mosaic in Chora Church

This early 14th-century mosaic from the Chora Church in Istanbul depicts the Nativity of Jesus with Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus in Byzantine style. Sponsored by Theodore Metochites, it exemplifies Late Byzantine art’s depth and movement. The Chora Church, originally outside Constantinople’s walls, has served as a church, mosque, and museum, with its mosaics accessible outside prayer times.