Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
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
Best preserved art from of the dead monotheistic religion Mithras (Mithras sacrificing the cosmic bull)
Very masculine religion only open to men and appealed to soldiers
Similar to early Christianity- monotheistic, narrative of salvation, conducted in secret
Dura Europos: General importance
Represents peacefully existing religious and lingual diversity within a single town.
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
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
Showed how Christians worshipped privately when Christianity was illegal
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
Massive statue, upward gaze and finger pointed upward showed his connection to God and heaven
wavy hair shows a likeness similar to Augustus, first emperor basically synonymous for power
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
Christian basilica commissioned by Constantine to create a strong Christian presence in the empire, decked with precious metals and jewels
Supposedly housed the relic (tomb) of Peter (guards gate of heaven, apostle), Rome’s first cathedral
Site of pilgrimage
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
used architectural recycling (spolia) by using columns from pagan temples.
same basilica architecture
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
basilica
Constantine sought to assert Christian dominance in a space that is sacred to multiple religions (Islam and Judaism)2
Framed Christian sites such as crucifixion and burial
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
mosaic
multiple readings can be take from the grape leaves- pagan reading could invoke thoughts of Dionysus, Christians saw the blood of Christ
Subject can be seen as Apollo, the Sun God or of Christ (person is a person of divine significance either way)
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
Rotunda
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
Mosaic on the ceiling- image of winemaking: birds, grapevines, cherubs
can be seen in multiple ways: the blood of Christ or Bacchus pagan God of wine, shows how fluid religion was
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
Portrayal of Christ shares a likeness with Apollo (young, beardless, a little bit fem, curly long hair)
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
earliest surviving depiction of Christ on a cross, 4 panels depict each part of the narrative
Christ is portrayed as triumphant, masculine, and athletic (shows the diversity of early portrayals of Christ)
Christ dragging cross
Christ being crucified
mourners around Christ’s burial
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
Galla Placidia was very important woman in the Roman empire: daughter, sister, wife, mother of emperors.
not her actual mausoleum, she was probably buried in St. Peter’s
small, square, cross shaped chapel, lots of mosaics + marbles
dichotomy between simple exterior and exquisite interior
Mosaic: shows Christ as Good Shepherd as more kingly (purple robe), more explicitly Christian (cross imagery), long hair makes him look divine.
Christian imagery is getting NICER
Mausoleum of Theodoric- date, location, culture/era
526, Ravenna, Italy, Roman/Early Christian
Mausoleum of Theodoric- importance
made of limestone- heavy, permanent
builders probably from Syria/Asia minor, shows the importance to be able to outsource work
circular dome ceiling was an architectural feat
Sought to associate himself and Ravenna with Rome (imperial power)
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
Shows Christ getting baptized by John in river Jordan (who is personified)
emphasizes Christ’s humanity and subordinate to God, portrayed as androgenous and young (beardless, no muscles)
built by Theodoric, an Arian Christian
Hagia Sophia- date, location, culture/era
532-37, Constantinople, Byzantine culture/era
Hagia Sophia- imperial importance
Built by Justinian to assert his imperial power after Nika riots
Built incredibly quickly and with disregard to expense
domed basilica was an incredible feat of architecture- built by Anthemius and Isidore
eventually becomes Islamic
Hagia Sophia- aesthetic importance
windows create the illusion of the dome resting on a ring of light-seems like its lit from within
super colorful through marbles and mosaics
adorned lavishly with jewels and gold and silver
sound carries and amplifies
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)
Houses remains of Saint Vitalis
Mosaic shows dedication scene of Christ, angels, Saint Vitalis, and bishop gifting building to Christ
Justinian and Theodora shown separately in mosaics on their way to mass to present gifts to Christ
Has both holy and imperial undertones to assert PRESENCE
Shows center/right/left hierarchies
The Barberini Ivory- date, location, culture/era
6th century, Constantinople, Byzantine culture/era
The Barberini Ivory- importance
probably depicting emperor Justinian due to his incredible military feats, emperor is huge front and center
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
asserts imperial power and divine power
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
Site sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims- believed it is where God appeared to Moses and gives him 10 commandments, became a pilgrimage site
The Monastery commemorates Theodora and houses Saint Catherine’s remains
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
small book, pro icon work (iconophile)
compares erasing icons with crucifying Christ
Shows how iconoclasts were seen as heretics after the fact
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
Christ’s crucifixion framed by Virgin Mary and St. John
passed between many hands: Nordic (Jesus’s name in Runes), German (engraving of Virgin Mary on the back), Africa, and Europe
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
most important icon in Russia, very little of the original remains
Widely venerated
shows that icons need not be in good condition to be considered icons
supposed to protect Russia against enemies
Eagle-Shaped Brooches- date, location, culture/era
6th century, Spain, Visigothic/Barbarian
Eagle-Shaped Brooches- importance
found in Visigothic gravesite
eagle symbol carries connotations of power
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
pieces found in a burial mound (one out of 19)-most likely the grave site of incredibly wealthy Kind Raedwald
purse cover and belt buckle shows incredibly skilled metal workers (interlace)
belt buckle- gold + niello interlace snakes
art was dynamic (meant to be used in the afterlife)
purse cover: gold, garnets, and glass, lots of animal imagery (snake, boar). Millefiori glass (cross hatch)
unsure whether his body was here or not
textile dyes show an incredible variety of colors
coins from multiple mints so the diseased could enter heaven
Silver dish from Byzantine
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
3500 pieces from 7th and 8th century
perhaps a hoard of a royal court, battle loot, or religious ceremony
items were arranged by similar type- lots of battle gear
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
only a couple overtly Christian items
full silver gilt: inscribed in niello with Hebrew bible verse + chalice that was probably a eucharist
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
carved in whalebone
likely painted since it was whale bone not ivory
riddle on box relates to the beached whale it is made out of- whale considered a mighty beast
Sides of box show Germanic and Norse mythology, Christian Bible, and Roman antiquity
Commissioner probably educated and interested in multiple cultures
Shows fluidity of religion and how many were able to coexist
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
Site important to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
Islam significance: rock where Muhammed ascended to Heaven
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.
earliest Islamic structure that stands at Temple Mount
Across the street from Holy Seplechure whose dome architecture is copied, almost rivals it
extremely decked out and beautiful to give it the holy aura
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
artist had the challenge of showing Christ’s outstretched arms using the narrow structure of elephant tusk
attached arms separately into pegs and then hid with hair
looks down, most likely meant to be held up high
Christ’s hair was stained brown but nothing else, ivory’s color was its benefit