Download Early Christian and Byzantine Art

Early Christian and
Byzantine Art
Greeks, and especially Romans produced art that was very
realistic.
Remember the beauty of the Greek and Roman sculpture
Whereas, early Christian art was more
concerned with Symbolic Representation.
Early Christian Art
Three key points of Early Christian Art:
 Symbolic- express a religious thought or
idea
 Found on frescoed walls of catacombs
outside Rome
 Acceptance of the Christian religion created
a need for new architecture- starting in the
4th century
First three hundred years
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Christianity began in the 1st century AD as a Jewish sect
but quickly spread throughout the Greco-Roman world.
Although it was originally persecuted under the Roman
empire, it would ultimately become the state religion.
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Four decades later after Christ’s crucifixion, in 70 CE the
Roman Army attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the
Jewish temple.
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The destruction of the Temple further disconnected the
two groups and caused them to spread out and travel to
other lands. From this destruction emerged two main
movements: rabbinical Judaism centered in local
synagogues, and the Christian movement.
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Christianity travelled to Rome, and Peter and Paul
were martyred in Rome possibly in 64 A. D.
(though the place and date are not mentioned in
the New Testament). Supposedly, Peter was
crucified by Nero who blamed the Great Fire of
Rome on the Christians (which conveniently
allowed him to build his new 100-300 acres palace
right in the centre of include a large lake, which
was the future placement of the Colosseum).
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For 250 years Christians suffered from sporadic
persecutions for their refusal to worship the
Roman emperor, considered treasonous and
punishable by execution.
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Some feel, they needed some places to meet
secretly.
Catacombs
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The catacombs are the ancient
underground cemeteries, used by the
Christian and the Jewish communities,
above all at Rome. The Christian
catacombs, which are the most
numerous, began in the second
century and the excavating continued
until the first half of the fifth.
Christians did not want to cremate
their dead (as done by the Romans)
due to their belief in bodily
resurrection
In the beginning they were only burial
places. Here the Christians gathered to
celebrate their funeral rites, the
anniversaries of the martyrs and of the
dead.
http://www.catacombe.roma.it/en/storia.html
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During the
persecutions (until 313
A.D.), in exceptional
cases, the catacombs
were used as places of
momentary refuge for
the celebration of the
Eucharist. They were
not used as secret
hiding places of the
early Christians. This
is only a fiction taken
from novels or movies.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD ORANTS and THE STORY OF
JONAH
Fresco-A method of painting on plaster, either dry or wet (usually)
In the latter method, pigments are applied to thin layers of wet
plaster so that they will be absorbed and the painting becomes part
of the wall.
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The figure of the Good Shepherd resembles
earlier shepherd figures in pagan Classical art
that represent benevolence and philantropy.
Additional meaning would have been ascribed
to the figure by early Christian viewers in the
context of Christ's phrase "I am the shepherd:
the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep,"
The figure was not originally intended as direct
portraiture of Christ which would have been
contrary to Old Testament injunctions against
idolatry
Exodos scene and Retrieving Moses from the Nile, Dura Europos synagogue, c. 250
CE, Syria.
http://www.arthistory.upenn.edu/smr04/101910/101910lecture9.html
http://www.le.ac.uk/ar/stj/dura.htm
www.philthompson.net/pages/icons/durae
uropos.html
Dura-Europos ("Fort Europos") was a
Hellenistic and Roman walled city built on an
escarpment ninety meters above the banks of
the Euphrates river. It is located near the village
of Salhiyé, in today's Syria
13.Baptistry in Christian House, Dura Europos, miracles of Jesus, Dura Europos, 3rd cent. CE, Syria.
http://www.arthistory.upenn.edu/smr04/101910/101910lecture9.html
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Sarcophagus- A coffin, usually of stone, although
sometimes made of wood, metal, or clay. In ancient
times they were often decorated with carvings of the
deceased or with some religious or mythological subject.
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Constantine
Constantine was the first Roman
ruler to become a follower of the
Christian religion.
Before Constantine's reign Christians
were often punished for their religious
beliefs.
This changed when Constantine gave
religious freedom to all Christians
living in the Roman Empire. He also
allowed members of the Christian
Church to take part in the Roman
government. The new freedom of
worship helped spread Christianity
into many regions of Europe.
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In A.D. 306, Constantine replaced
his father as the new ruler of the
Western Roman Empire.
Constantine, however, was not
accepted as ruler by everyone. He
had to fight many other would-be
leaders for his position. In A.D.
312 Constantine defeated his last
rival at the Battle of Milvian
Bridge. The victory made
Constantine ruler of the entire
Western Empire. According to
legend, it was during the battle that
Constantine became a Christian.
Around A.D. 315 the Arch of
Constantine was built in Rome to
celebrate Constantine's victory.
Arch of Constantine
Byzantine 324 C.E.
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The Byzantine Empire, founded when the capital
of the Roman Empire was transferred from Rome
to Constantinople in 324 CE.
Constantinople remained as the geographic and
symbolic center of this cultural and political
sphere until its conquest and collapse (1453).
With the edict of Milan, promulgated by the
emperors Constantine 313 CE, the Christians were
no longer persecuted. They were free to profess
their faith, to have places of worship and to build
churches both inside and outside the city, and to
buy plots of land, without fear of confiscation.
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After the death of Constantine in 337, the Roman Empire
was split into Eastern and Western Empires
The Western half declines and the eastern half, with its
capital in Constantinople (now Istanbul) flourished.
in 527 it gained further strength with the reign of Justinian
(Golden Age of Byzantine)
Roman Empire -300 A.D.
Byzantine Empire- 500 A.D.
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The early churches were called basilicas.
San Piero a GradoPisa. Italy
Santa Costanza,
Rome, Italy ca 350
A basilica is an early type of Christian
cathedral or church. Basilicas have a very
open floor plan and high ceilings.
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Outside of the churches may appear plain but they
are filled with beautiful mosaics (made of glasstesserae)
Much of Byzantine architecture was created to
express religious experience and mediate between
the believer and God
Therefore a high ceiling stressed the heavens
above and created awe among it’s viewers
Light was also an important feature
Gradually the exterior also became imaginative
with the onion-shaped domes of Russian churches
The Byzantine tradition of art and architecture
lasted over 1000 years
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Early Christian Basilica
Long brick building with a
timber roof
connected to an atrium
(courtyard) in the front
with a covered walkway
around it (narthex)
led into the nave (central
part of the basilica)
through two doors in the
corners
side aisles on each side of
the naïve, separated with
columns usually taken
from pagan temples
Clerestory windows above columns to flood interior with light
Apse- semi circular area at the front of the nave, above the apse a half
dome
Transepts were added in latter basilica’s to accommodate large crowds
Crypts were sometimes placed under the apse for the burial of clergy
Early St.
Peter’s
Below: reconstruction
drawing of St. Peter’s,
Rome c. 333-390 CE
plan of St. Peter’s, Rome
right: elevation of
interior of St. Peter’s
Rome.
St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, Rome, 385 C.E
-alter placed on the raised portion,
covered by a canopy of carved and
painted wood called a baldachin
-a triumphal arch separated nave
from the apse, symbolized the
victory of Christ over eternal death
-interior (symbolized richness of
spirit) highly decorated with
mosaics of coloured glass and
gold, and marble inlaid floors.
-eighty granite columns in four
rows direct the view to the
triumphal arch (also covered in
mosaics)
-exteriors –plain brick
Atrium and Narthex
St. Paul’s Outside the Walls
BaldachinSt. Peter’s (Vatican) in
Rome
Some churches
followed a rotunda
plan
plan and interior of church of San Vitale, brick, c.
540-547 CE, Ravenna.
Sculpture- not much was produced and most have been
destroyed
Archangel Michael -sixth century AD ,British Museum,
London
 Small ivory (42 cm)panel from a diptych. Draped figure of
an archangel standing with orb in right hand, staff in left.
 The Archangel or Saint Michael who appears on this part of
the diptych is probably a literal copy (as to details) of a much
more ancient figure (perhaps the goddess Victory [see Nike]
from whom the Christian angel is derived) the carver had
before his eyes. Although the precision of the Archangel, his
classical robes and the architectural elements framing the
figure embody a focus on the realism of antiquity.
 -the angel seems to hover over the staircase, barely touching
the stairs.
 Painstaking classical realism has been abandoned in favour
of added emphasis on symbolism.
 -architectural setting is symbolic and ornamental not realistic
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Golden Age Of Byzantine Art
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Hagia Sophia
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(Church of the
Holy Wisdom)
Constantinople
(Istanbul), 532-537
AD
stone
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Architects: Anthemius of
Tralles and Isidorus of
Miletus
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha
/html/byzantine_turkey_hag_ahm_2.
htm
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Hagia Sophia is one of the
great architectural triumphs
of the ages. Here, the
architects have transported
the enormous outward thrust
of the huge dome through
features called pendentives,
to four great stone piers,
which are not directly
beneath the dome. The dome
is used for the first time as a
roof over a square, rather
than a drum, which was used
in the Pantheon. Because the
supporting structure is so
inconspicuous, the dome
gives the illusion of being
magically suspended above
the nave.
The minarets are Turkish
additions after 1453
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pendentive - A concave, triangular piece of
masonry (a triangle section of a hemisphere),
four of which provide the transition from a
square area to the circular base
of a covering dome. Although
they appear to be hanging
(pendant) from the dome,
they in fact support it.
The architects devised a system
where arches were placed in
the four walls and the circle of
the dome rests on the four
arches, a pendentives is formed
in the four corners. The
massive weight of the dome is
supported by this spherical
triangle, which transfers the
thrust to the four huge piers
that support it.
St. Marks –Venice-began 1063
The second church on this site was burned in
a rebellion in 976, rebuilt in 978 and again to
form the basis of the present basilica in 1063.
Though straddling into the Romanesuqe era it
is still considered a Byzantine design.
•This is the largest and most
lavish decorated church in the
Second Golden Age
•It was built to hold the body
of St. Mark
•It is based on a typical Greek
cross plan
•Each arm has a dome of it’s
own
•The exterior has many
mosaics
•Four horses formerly stood
above the main entrance (they
are now preserved in a
museum)
Fethiye Camii (Church of Pammakaristos),
Interior view, ca. 1100, Istanbul (Turkey)
 http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/related_site
s/fethiye_camii_360/html/1.html
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/related_sites/fethiye_camii_360/index.html
Byzantine art
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Byzantine art was very religious. Most Byzantine art was created
for the Eastern Orthodox Church. Much Byzantine art was made
by servants of the courts or members of religious orders. Most
of these artists remained anonymous.
Mosaics and Fresco paintings covered the domes of many
churches. They were often made of precious materials such as
lapis lazuli, gold and silver. Byzantine artists had to follow many
rules about subject matter, content, and form. Symbolic
representation was very important in Byzantine art. The subjects
appear flat and fairly abstract compared to the liveliness and
individualism of Western art because Byzantine artists used little
shading or other techniques that would have made their subjects
more lifelike.
Mosaics
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Conveyed messages of salvation through mosaics
They achieved an incredible degree of expressiveness in
this medium
Roman mosaics were made of polished, coloured stone,
but Byzantine mosaics were made of brightly coloured
glass (tesserae) pressed into wet plaster
The glass pieces were set on a slight angle to reflect the
light.
Green and gold are used most often, but there are also
scarlets, purples and blues
The Emperor Justinian and his Attendants
The Empress Theodora and her Attendants,
c. 547 AD, mosaic, Ravenna,
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These mosaics are companion panels of depicting the
Emperor Justinian and his Attendants, and Empress
Theodora and her attendants. Both are located in the
apse, which flanks the altar, of the church of San
Vitale.
These mosaics are prized among the most
accomplished examples of
surviving Byzantine mosaics
Lots of gold glass tesserae.
 They portray the emperor
and empress as semi-divine
rulers bringing gifts at the
dedication of San Vitale
(though they never actually
attended the ceremony).
 The figures are stiff and
stylized, including: full
frontal viewpoints,
elongation of the figure,
and stylization of faces with
large eyes and almond shape
faces, and decorative
costumes.
 Strong use of symbolismbread and wine of
Eucharist. Halo to show
that Justinian is Gods holy
representative on earth and
therefore holy himself.
Mosaic-A picture or design made of tiny pieces (called tesserae) of
coloured stone, glass, tile or paper adhered to a surface. It is typically
decorative work for walls, vaults, ceilings or floors, the tesserae set in
plaster or concrete.
Mosiacs of Hagia Sophia
 The mosaic were scrapped off the wall and covered
with plaster by the Moslems when the converted the
church into a mosque.
 This was due to the fact their
religion does not permit likenesses
of people
 Some mosaics have been uncovered
 Also the Iconoclastic Controversy
happened in the Christian religion
as well for over for over 100 years
(725 to 842 CE) and no art was produced in this
period. After this period we have the second Golden
Age of Byzantine. The plans of churches were based
on the Greek cross, such a St. Marks’ discussed before .
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313 CE - Constantine converts to Christianity
324 CE- The Byzantine Empire, founded when the capital of the
Roman Empire was transferred from Rome to Constantinople
326- CE- the pilgrimage of Constantine’s mother, Empress Helena,
to Jerusalem where she finds relics and dedicates the building of
churches (Church of the Holy Sepulchre )
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527 CE- Golden Age of Byzantine-Justinian
532-537-Hagia Sophia -Constantinople (Istanbul)
547 CE- The Emperor Justinian and his Attendants-mosiac
614 CE when the Persians invaded Jerusalem, destroyed many of the
churches and monasteries.
638 CE Jerusalem was captured by the Muslim Caliph Umar, six years
after the death of Muhammad
685 CE- The Dome of the Rock starts construction by Caliph Abd alMalikibn Marwan - completing it in 691 CE.
725 to 842 CE -Iconoclastic Controversy in Christian religion
842 CE-the Second Golden Age of Byzantine
1063- St. Marks –Venice
1453 CE The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the Byzantine
capital by the Ottoman Empire
Dome of the Rock
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Mt. Moriah (site of Jerusalem)was considered
highly sacred for several reasons
Jewish It was considered to be the site where
Abraham (2000 BCE) had built an altar on
which he prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.
 At this same site, the patriarch Jacob
gathered stone from the altar upon which his
father Isaac was to be sacrificed, and using
this stone as a pillow spent the night sleeping
upon the rock. Upon waking from a stunning
visionary dream, Jacob anointed the stone
pillow with oil he had received from heaven
and the stone then sank deep into the earth,
to become the foundation stone of the great
temple that would later be built by Solomon.
 The First Temple of the Jews was built
during the reign of King Solomon (960
BCE).
 Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon forced the
Jews into exile (most went to Babylon), and
completely destroyed the temple in 586 BC.
 In 539 BC, Persia conquered Babylon and
allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
Reconstruction began and the Second
Temple was completed by 515 B.C.E
ChristianityThe conversion to Christianity of the
Byzantine Emperor Constantine (306337) and the pilgrimage of his
mother, Empress Helena, to
Jerusalem in 326. Helena's pilgrimage
and Constantine's royal support made
possible the building of many
Christian shrines in the city.
The Christian control of Jerusalem
was carried on until 614 AD when the
Persians invaded the city, destroyed
many of the churches and
monasteries.
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Greek Rule Jerusalem was captured by Alexander
the Great. For most the next five centuries Greeks
ruled over the Judah.
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Roman Rule
 In 64 BC, the Roman general Pompey
captured Jerusalem, ushering in several
centuries of Roman rule. During this period
Herod the Great (ruled 37-4 BC) rebuilt and
enlarged the Second Temple and created the
famous Western Wall (also called the Wailing
Wall) as part of the supporting structure for
the enlarged Temple Mount.
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During the next two centuries the Jews twice
revolted against their Roman oppressors, the
city of Jerusalem suffered greatly and the
Second Temple was demolished in 70 AD.
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In the year 135 AD, the Roman Emperor
Hadrian began construction of a new city,
upon the ruins of old Jerusalem. Upon the site
of the destroyed Jewish temple, Hadrian built
a temple to the god Jupiter, but this temple
was itself demolished by the Byzantines after
the empire became Christian.
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Islam Jerusalem was captured in 638 CE, six years after the death of Muhammad, by the Muslim
Caliph Umar. Soon after his occupation of the city, Umar cleansed the Temple Mount, built
a small mosque and dedicated the site to Muslim worship.
 Nearby they built a more spectacular building, the Dome of the Rock, not only to proclaim
the supremacy of Islam, but also to ensure that the new followers of Islam would not be
tempted by Christianity.
 Importance of the temple mount:
A certain passage in the Koran links the Prophet Muhammad with Jerusalem and the Temple
Mount. That passage, the seventeenth Sura, entitled 'The Night Journey', recounts the story of a
dream Mohammed has where he takes a midnight ride (al-Isra) on his flying horse al-Buraq, which
had the face of a woman, the body of a horse and the tail of Peacock. The narrative of the Koran
in Sura 17 describes it as follows:
"Glory be to Him, who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque to the further
mosque, the precincts of which we have blessed."
… and from the sacred rock atop of the temple mount he made a spiritual trip to
heaven and met the prophets before him) (it is stated in refeneces that this vision is around 617
and 624 A.D ).
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Muslim believe the two temples mentioned in this verse as being in Mecca and Jerusalem.
At this hallowed site, known in Arabic as Haram al Sharif, the 9th Caliph, Abd al-Malik, built
the great Dome of the Rock between 687 CE and 691 CE to protect pilgrims.
Adjacent to the Dome is the Al-Aqsa Mosque wherein Muslims make their prayers towards
Mecca.
Designed by Byzantine architects (not all text’s agree with this) engaged by the Caliph, the
Dome of the Rock was the greatest monumental building in early Islamic history and
remains today one of the most sublime examples of artistic genius that humanity has ever
produced (the Great Mosque of Damascus, being a true mosque, is the earliest surviving
monumental mosque).
The Dome of the Rock-details
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The structure is octagonal and the dome is borne by
a double system of pillars and columns. The walls,
ceiling, arches, and vaults are decorated with floral
images. The dome, on the inside, is covered with
coloured and gilded stucco.
The dome is 20 meters high, 10 meters in diameter,
and its supporting structure, made of lead, was
originally covered in pure gold (In 1960, as part of
Jordan’s restoration, the dome was covered with a
durable aluminium and bronze alloy made in Italy.
The restoration was completed in August 1964.
In 1998 the golden dome covering was refurbished
following a donation of $8.2 million by King
Hussein of Jordan who sold one of his houses in
London to fund the 80 kilograms of gold required.
(Wipedica)
The sacred foundation stone is encircled by sixteen
arches that formerly came from different churches
in Jerusalem, which were destroyed during the
Persian occupation of the city in 614 AD. Writing
of the sublimely beautiful structure with its heavenly
dome, its columns of rare marble and its brilliant
mosaics
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The facade is made of
porcelain The Koranic ura, or
chapter, is inscribed across the
top in the tile work
commissioned in the 16th
century by Suleiman the
Magnificent. The sura al- Isra
(The Night Journey), is
inscribed above Ya-Seen.
(Wipedica)
Painting in the Middle Ages
Christ Icon, St. Catherine’s
Monastery, c. 6th cent. CE, Sinai,
Egypt.
They had a strong tradition of painting
 Most paintings were icons (religious
images) painted on wooden panels.
 Often used as worship centers in home
 The interiors of the churches also were
decorated with icons.
 Byzantine painting was colourful and
emotional.
 Artists used egg tempera as their medium
 Figures were painted against a brilliant gold
background
 Triptych (three hinged pieces) Diptych
(two hinged pieces) were examples of the
portable art of the Byzantine era
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Enthroned Madonna and
Child (13th century)(131
x77 cm)
Typical of Byzantine style
The Madonna floats rather
than sits on her throne.
The Christ child seems to be
resting securely on her arm.
Meaning and emotion are
more important than the
depiction of reality.
The use of gold backgrounds
heightens the effect of
otherworldliness and
transcendence
National Gallery of Canada
Jacopo di Cione
Ugolino di Nerio
Triptych of the Virgin and St. Anne and the
Child Enthroned with
Infant Virgin (1330
Saints (1370 - 1380 )
- 1335 )
Migration Art
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ornamental metalwork,
usually pins to hold
garments, often inlaid
with precious stones
Purse Cover (7th
century)-garnets, glass,
enamel and goldgeometric on top- man
between two beasts and
eagles seizing two ducks
What is an Illuminated
Manuscript?
The term “manuscript” translates from Latin as “made by
hand”. Illumination comes from the Latin word “illuminare”
meaning “light up”.
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These “illuminated” manuscripts
were so called because of their
frequent incorporation of gold or
sometimes silver leaf onto the
page.
Decoration with drawings, usually
in gold, silver, and rich colors,
especially in the initial letters of
manuscripts, particularly those
done during the Middle Ages. A
manuscript, produced during the
Middle Ages, in which the pages
are decorated this way. Often these
manuscripts contain small pictures
known as illuminations or
miniatures.
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Priests
Monks
Religious
Middle Ages
Monasteries
Materials
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Skin
Feathers
Goose or Swan
Cured
Ink
Parchment and Vellum
Manuscripts
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influenced by tribal tradition of geometric
motifs and interlacing of letters, flowers
and animals
monks spent their lifetimes illustrating
their pages of scripture while in their
secluded monasteries
ornamentation represents everything rich
and beautiful
paying tribute to God
Lindisfarne Gospel Book (698-721)
Christianized Great Britain)
 long time to illustrate one book
 many vellum (parchment pages
 ‘X-P” (chi-rho) is a contraction of the
Greek name for Christ
 interlaced with abstract and geometric
designs of minute detail
 hidden in the intricate scrolls are serpents
dragons and other fantastic animals
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Christian faith was bound
by the authority of sacred
writings, and it placed
increasing importance on
the production of books
and their illumination.
Some fragments of the
biblical text, written in
silver and gold on purple
vellum and sumptuously
illuminated, are still
preserved). Foremost of
these is the Vienna
Genesis, a manuscript of
the first half of the 6th
cent.
East Asian calligraphy
Chinese calligraphy written by Song Dynasty (A.D. 1051-1108) poet
Mi Fu.
Indian Calligraphy
A page from the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikh
Persian calligraphy
Page of calligraphy in ornamental style, 1868-69
Islamic calligraphy
A page of a 12th century Qur'an
Western calligraphy
Calligraphy of the German word "Urkunde" (deed)
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Hebrew manuscripts
in the fifteenth
century
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German, Hildesheim, ca. 1170
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1407AD Latin Bible from Belgium
Medieval Scribes