The artwork titled “The Empress Zoe” was created by the artist known as Byzantine Mosaics around c.1050. This mosaic employs the medium of mosaïques and falls under the Middle Byzantine art movement, specifically the Macedonian Renaissance, which spans from 867 to 1056. As a portrait genre piece, it is part of a series of mosaics located in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey.
The artwork depicts Empress Zoe adorned in regal and ornate attire, distinguished by the use of vibrant, intricate tiles that convey her imperial status. The mosaic captures her visage with a golden halo, signifying her elevated position and divine right. Her crown and richly decorated garments are rendered with precise craftsmanship, employing a palette rich in golds, reds, greens, and whites. The backdrop is composed of a golden hue, enhancing the solemn and august atmosphere of the piece. The detailed and symmetrical arrangement of the tiles exemplifies the aesthetic and technical sophistication of the Middle Byzantine period, reflecting the grandeur and spirituality indicative of the Macedonian Renaissance.