Early Medieval Art and Architecture

Dura Europos - date, location, culture/era

245-56 CE, Syria, Jewish + Christian + Pagan + Mithraeum, early Christian era

Dura Europos: Synagogue assembly hall - importance

Showed scholars that Judaism WAS a visual religion contrary to popular belief. Visuals were stories directly from the Bible (Moses crossing of the Red Sea), with no symbolism

Dura Europos: Mithraeum importance

1. Best preserved art from of the dead monotheistic religion Mithras (Mithras sacrificing the cosmic bull)

2. Very masculine religion only open to men and appealed to soldiers

3. Similar to early Christianity- monotheistic, narrative of salvation, conducted in secret

Dura Europos: General importance

1. Represents peacefully existing religious and lingual diversity within a single town.

2. Well preserved due to its abandonment after conquest and location on the edge of the empire, good materials for scholarship ‘time capsule’

Dura Europos: Christian House Church importance

1. The image of Good Shepherd and Adam and Eve above the bath showed the sacrality of baptism (the baptistery was the only room with any figural imagery. Also showed how important ‘good shepherd’ symbol was to Christians and was also a discreet symbol

2. Showed how Christians worshipped privately when Christianity was illegal

3. House churches are rare because they were destroyed or built over with new churches when Christianity was legalized.

Four Tetrarchs- date, location, culture/era

300 common era, Venice, Roman/Late Antique era

Four Tetrarchs - importance

Made of the regal purple rock porphyry.

Artistically depicts the establishment of the tetrarchy: East and West empires with one main ruler and secondary ruler each for more stable rule and clearer succession of power. Sets the stage for Constantine to take the West empire from Maxentius and legalize Christianity (313)

Head of Constantine the Great- date, location, culture/era

325 common era, Rome, Roman/Early Christian era

Head of Constantine the Great- importance

1. Massive statue, upward gaze and finger pointed upward showed his connection to God and heaven

2. wavy hair shows a likeness similar to Augustus, first emperor basically synonymous for power

3. Shows Constantine’s dual imperial and divine power, brings imperial validity to Christianity

Audience Hall of Constantius Chlorus- date, location, culture/era

early 4th century, Trier, Germany, Rome/Early Christian

Audience Hall of Constantius Chlorus- importance

Early church that repurposed Roman architectural ideas, huge building that asserts validity to Christianity and to Constantine.

Simple design, used as a guide for many churches in the future.

The circular windows at the apse made the priest look large and the light seemed heavenly, creating a holy aura for churchgoers

basilica

general multi purpose gathering shape. Made of central halls with an apse, architecturally looked like crosses. Worked well for large crowds of people

Old St. Peter’s- date, location, culture/era

320s, Rome, Italy, Roman/Early Christian

Old St. Peter- importance

1. Christian basilica commissioned by Constantine to create a strong Christian presence in the empire, decked with precious metals and jewels

2. Supposedly housed the relic (tomb) of Peter (guards gate of heaven, apostle), Rome’s first cathedral

3. Site of pilgrimage

4. pilgrims lowered items to the grave to make their own relics.

Santa Sabina- date, location, culture/era

422-32, Rome, Italy, Roman/Early Christian

Santa Sabina- importance

1. used architectural recycling (spolia) by using columns from pagan temples.

2. same basilica architecture

3. relatively untouched, a good snapshot of early Christain basilicas

Church of the Holy Seplucher- date, location, culture/era

380, Jerusalem, Israel, Roman/Early Christian

Church of the Holy Seplucher- importance

1. basilica

2. Constantine sought to assert Christian dominance in a space that is sacred to multiple religions (Islam and Judaism)2

3. Framed Christian sites such as crucifixion and burial

4. Made sacred with silks, gold, and jewels

Christ as Sol Invictus, Tomb of the Julii- date, location, culture/era

3rd or 4th century, Rome, Roman/Early Christian

Christ as Sol Invictus, Tomb of the Julii- importance

1. mosaic

2. multiple readings can be take from the grape leaves- pagan reading could invoke thoughts of Dionysus, Christians saw the blood of Christ

3. Subject can be seen as Apollo, the Sun God or of Christ (person is a person of divine significance either way)

4. Golden yellow background sets a distinct heavenly aura, crown represents triumph

Mausoleum of Constantina + in Santa Constanza church- date, location, culture/era

350, Rome, Italy, Roman/Early Christian

Mausoleum of Constantina in Santa Constanza church + sarcophagus - importance

1. Rotunda

2. Housed Constantine’s daughter, coffin made of porphyry (regal stone from Egypt to show imperial importance). Angels making wine on the tomb to connect with the ceiling

3. Mosaic on the ceiling- image of winemaking: birds, grapevines, cherubs

4. can be seen in multiple ways: the blood of Christ or Bacchus pagan God of wine, shows how fluid religion was

5. 12 clerestory windows + 12 columns represent the apostles

mausoleum

free-standing monumental tombs and temples to deities often in the shape of a rotunda- a mausoleum without remains is called a cenotaph

The Good Shepherd Marble- date, location, culture/era

300-350, Rome, Roman/Early Christian

The Good Shepherd Marble- importance

1. Portrayal of Christ shares a likeness with Apollo (young, beardless, a little bit fem, curly long hair)

2. Early portrayals of Christ are often as a shepherd and with sheep imagery because Christ is the sacrificial lamb.

The Maskell Ivories- date, location, culture/era

420-30, Rome or Gaul, Roman/Early Christian

The Maskell Ivories- importance

1. earliest surviving depiction of Christ on a cross, 4 panels depict each part of the narrative

2. Christ is portrayed as triumphant, masculine, and athletic (shows the diversity of early portrayals of Christ)

1. Christ dragging cross

2. Christ being crucified

3. mourners around Christ’s burial

4. Christ after he is resurrected

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (Good Shepherd Mosaic)- date, location, culture/era

425-450, Ravenna, Italy, Roman/Early Christian

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (Good Shepherd Mosaic)- importance

1. Galla Placidia was very important woman in the Roman empire: daughter, sister, wife, mother of emperors.

2. not her actual mausoleum, she was probably buried in St. Peter’s

3. small, square, cross shaped chapel, lots of mosaics + marbles

4. dichotomy between simple exterior and exquisite interior

5. Mosaic: shows Christ as Good Shepherd as more kingly (purple robe), more explicitly Christian (cross imagery), long hair makes him look divine.

6. Christian imagery is getting NICER

Mausoleum of Theodoric- date, location, culture/era

526, Ravenna, Italy, Roman/Early Christian

Mausoleum of Theodoric- importance

1. made of limestone- heavy, permanent

2. builders probably from Syria/Asia minor, shows the importance to be able to outsource work

3. circular dome ceiling was an architectural feat

4. Sought to associate himself and Ravenna with Rome (imperial power)

5. 12 projecting arms on dome lift dome and inscribed with apostles

Arian Baptistery (Baptism of Christ mosaic)- date, location, culture/era

500-560, Ravenna, Roman/Early Christian

Arian Baptistery (Baptism of Christ mosaic)- importance

1. Shows Christ getting baptized by John in river Jordan (who is personified)

2. emphasizes Christ’s humanity and subordinate to God, portrayed as androgenous and young (beardless, no muscles)

3. built by Theodoric, an Arian Christian

Hagia Sophia- date, location, culture/era

532-37, Constantinople, Byzantine culture/era

Hagia Sophia- imperial importance

1. Built by Justinian to assert his imperial power after Nika riots

2. Built incredibly quickly and with disregard to expense

3. domed basilica was an incredible feat of architecture- built by Anthemius and Isidore

4. eventually becomes Islamic

Hagia Sophia- aesthetic importance

1. windows create the illusion of the dome resting on a ring of light-seems like its lit from within

2. super colorful through marbles and mosaics

3. adorned lavishly with jewels and gold and silver

4. sound carries and amplifies

5. Heavenly house of God on Earth- makes Justinian seem closer to heaven

San Vitale- date, location, culture/era

540-47, Ravenna, Byzantine

San Vitale + apse mosaics (Justinian, Theodora, Christ in Paradise)

1. Houses remains of Saint Vitalis

2. Mosaic shows dedication scene of Christ, angels, Saint Vitalis, and bishop gifting building to Christ

3. Justinian and Theodora shown separately in mosaics on their way to mass to present gifts to Christ

4. Has both holy and imperial undertones to assert PRESENCE

5. Shows center/right/left hierarchies

The Barberini Ivory- date, location, culture/era

6th century, Constantinople, Byzantine culture/era

The Barberini Ivory- importance

1. probably depicting emperor Justinian due to his incredible military feats, emperor is huge front and center

2. Christ, personification of Earth, and Godess of Victory overlook him (both Christian + Roman deities), shows defeated armies bringing loot/gifts to him below, general/secondhand man on the left

3. asserts imperial power and divine power

4. Passed through many hands in many places

Saint Catherine’s Monastery Christ Icon + Virgin Mary Icon- date, location, culture/era

6th century, Sinai, Egypt, Byzantine culture/era

Saint Catherine’s Monastery Christ Icon + Virgin Mary Icon

1. Site sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims- believed it is where God appeared to Moses and gives him 10 commandments, became a pilgrimage site

2. The Monastery commemorates Theodora and houses Saint Catherine’s remains

3. Earliest Christian icons found here because they survived iconoclasm due to its remote location

Chludov Psalter- date, location, culture/era

850-75, Constantinople, Byzantine culture/era

Chludov Psalter- importance

1. small book, pro icon work (iconophile)

2. compares erasing icons with crucifying Christ

3. Shows how iconoclasts were seen as heretics after the fact

4. antisemitic work

Crucifixion with Virgin Mary & St. John Ivory- date, location, culture/era

1000, passed through many hands but originates in Constantinople, Byzantine

Crucifixion with Virgin Mary & St. John Ivory- importance

1. Christ’s crucifixion framed by Virgin Mary and St. John

2. passed between many hands: Nordic (Jesus’s name in Runes), German (engraving of Virgin Mary on the back), Africa, and Europe

3. Christ’s face was worn away, proof that it was touched

Virgin of Vladimir- date, location, culture/era

12th century, commissioned in Constantinople, most important icon in Russia, Byzantine

Virgin of Vladimir- importance

1. most important icon in Russia, very little of the original remains

2. Widely venerated

3. shows that icons need not be in good condition to be considered icons

4. supposed to protect Russia against enemies

Eagle-Shaped Brooches- date, location, culture/era

6th century, Spain, Visigothic/Barbarian

Eagle-Shaped Brooches- importance

1. found in Visigothic gravesite

2. eagle symbol carries connotations of power

3. made of gold and garnet, shows incredible craftsmanship and the distinct style of Barbarian metal workers

Sutton Hoo- date, location, culture/era

625, Suffolk England, Early medieval English

Sutton Hoo (purse cover, coins, belt buckle, shoulder clasps, silver dishes) - importance

1. pieces found in a burial mound (one out of 19)-most likely the grave site of incredibly wealthy Kind Raedwald

2. purse cover and belt buckle shows incredibly skilled metal workers (interlace)

3. belt buckle- gold + niello interlace snakes

4. art was dynamic (meant to be used in the afterlife)

5. purse cover: gold, garnets, and glass, lots of animal imagery (snake, boar). Millefiori glass (cross hatch)

6. unsure whether his body was here or not

7. textile dyes show an incredible variety of colors

8. coins from multiple mints so the diseased could enter heaven

9. Silver dish from Byzantine

10. ALL goes to show the early Medieval English was sophisticated and in contact with other cultures

Staffordshire Hoard-date, location, culture/era

7th century, Staffordshire, England, Early Medieval English

Staffordshire Hoard- importance

1. 3500 pieces from 7th and 8th century

2. perhaps a hoard of a royal court, battle loot, or religious ceremony

3. items were arranged by similar type- lots of battle gear

4. helmet piece: not pure gold to withstand battle (alloy), includes interlace similar to the belt buckle at Sutton Hoo- shows how the art style was common

5. only a couple overtly Christian items

6. full silver gilt: inscribed in niello with Hebrew bible verse + chalice that was probably a eucharist

7. crumpled cross- items may have been stripped from a Christian army defeated by a Pagan one

Franks Casket- date, location, culture/era

early 8th century, Northumbria, Early Medieval English

Franks Casket- importance

1. carved in whalebone

2. likely painted since it was whale bone not ivory

3. riddle on box relates to the beached whale it is made out of- whale considered a mighty beast

4. Sides of box show Germanic and Norse mythology, Christian Bible, and Roman antiquity

5. Commissioner probably educated and interested in multiple cultures

6. Shows fluidity of religion and how many were able to coexist

7. front: Weland the Smith (Nordic), back: Capture of Jerusalem (Christian), right: Romulus and Remus (Roman), left: scene from Germanic legend

Dome of the Rock- date, location, culture/era

691-92, Jerusalem, Israel- part if the Aqsa Mosque complex, Early Islamic

Dome of the Rock- importance

1. Site important to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

2. Islam significance: rock where Muhammed ascended to Heaven

3. Christianity/Judisiam significance: Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isacc at this spot, the site of the 1st and 2nd Jewish temples, and its the site of the creation of Adam.

4. earliest Islamic structure that stands at Temple Mount

5. Across the street from Holy Seplechure whose dome architecture is copied, almost rivals it

6. extremely decked out and beautiful to give it the holy aura

7. no mosaics or figurative images (FORBIDDEN) just Islamic inscriptions from the Quran and abstract art

Giovanni Pisano, Crucified Christ Ivory- date, location, culture/era

1300, Tuscany, Italy, Gothic

Giovanni Pisano, Crucified Christ Ivory- importance

1. artist had the challenge of showing Christ’s outstretched arms using the narrow structure of elephant tusk

2. attached arms separately into pegs and then hid with hair

3. looks down, most likely meant to be held up high

4. Christ’s hair was stained brown but nothing else, ivory’s color was its benefit