Byzantium show heads to Royal Academy

By Mike Collett-White LONDON (Reuters) - The next "blockbuster" show at the Royal Academy will focus on Byzantium, bringing together what organisers say is a unique collection of artefacts and ideas that can teach us about the world we live in today. "Byzantium: 330-1453" will run at the central London gallery from October to March, 2009, and feature some works of art that can rarely, if ever, be seen by the public. "The objects are now old, fragile and difficult to transport," said curator Robin Cormack at Friday's press announcement of the show. "I really think you will never see these objects together again. This will be the last time." One of the aims of the exhibition is to address some of the bad press Byzantium has received through the ages. He quoted both historian Edward Gibbon and French philosopher Voltaire... [read full story]