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In 1834, the small church of San Cipriano on the island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon was to be decommissioned and demolished. The church, built in 1109 contained an impressive mosaic that was placed in the apse in the late 13th century.
Frederick William IV, at the time crown prince of Prussia and a big supporter of the arts purchased the mosaic for 385 Thalers and had it shipped in its entireness to Potsdam. In 1848, it was incorporated in the Church of Peace in the Prussian capital.
The mosaic is a classical piece of Byzantine art, called Deesis - a traditional iconic representation of Christ in Majesty, enthroned, carrying a book, and flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. It illustrates Frederick William's dream of a "christian state" where the king was regarded as a divine emissary.
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