Byzantine & Holy Roman Empire Art

Who was Emperor Justinian?

• Leader of the Byzantine Empire

• Helped restore much of the Roman Empire and its power

• He recaptured Ravenna

Byzantium

the Eastern side of the Roman Empire which lasted longer than the Western side

Choir & apse of San Vitale w/ mosaic of Christ between 2 angels

• Shows Jesus wearing purple, halo, young looking

• He's seated on the orb like world

• Jesus give St. Vitale a wreath & Bishop Ecclesius offers Christ a model of said church

Justinian, Bishop Maximianus, & attendants (San Vitale Church)

• Shows Justian, middle of the mosaic, holding a bowl of bread

• Space is uncertain

Theodora, & attendats (San Vitale Church)

• Across the Justinian Mosaic, is his wife, Theodora, who is holding a chalice of wine

• Theodora has an image of the 3 kings (typology to her and her husband giving offerings to Jesus just like the 3 kings did)

Who is Theodora?

• Justinian's wife, an unusual empress

• Not of noble birth, former actress

• Surpassing in intelligence of all men that lived

Pendentive

a curved triangle section formed by the intersection of a dome with its supporting arch, helps to hold up the dome

Anthemius & Isidorus, Hadia Sophia (Constantinople, Turkey)

• Justinian helped build it

• Used to be a basilica but today it's a mosque

• Most important & largest architecture in the Byzantine Empire

• The dome seems to ride on a halo of light as light from outside pours in the gaps of the dome

Iconoclasm

• Breaking of images

Iconoclasm

- Breaking of images; to remove images that can cause supposed idolatry
- Religious controversy of the 8th century caused the destruction of images/ icons of Christianity
- A brief period of time

Who was Emperor Charlemagne?

• Crowned the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, he wanted to revive the glory of Early Christian Rome

Charlemagne & Carolingian Renaissance

• Charlemagne's efforts led to the revival of learning and culture of Christianity by standardizing writing and encouraging the copying of Roman manuscripts

Saint Matthew, from the Coronation Gospels

• Books made for Charemagne's court

• The painter creates the illusion of 3d forms

Saint Matthew, from the Ebbo Gospels

• St. Matthew seems to write frantically

• Proportion isn't the best

Crucifixion (book cover)

• Revives the Early youthful Jesus look

• Shows the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ, not in pain

Who are the Ottonians?

Rule of the new line of German emperors

Doors with relief panels from Saint Michael's in Hildesheim

• Commissioned by Bishop Bernward

• Tells the story of Og sin & redemption, drawing parallels (typology) between old & new testaments