Module 4 Early Christian

Catacombs of Domitilla

• named after Flavia Domitilla, member of an Imperial family

Edict of Milan

• religious toleration was granted throughout the empire

Basilicas

• the creation of basilicas signified the establishment of Christ as an authority figure

Christian house in Dura-Europos, Syria

Catacomb of Priscilla

• built for Priscilla's family then eventually used by Christian community
• earliest depictions of Biblical scenes in fresco (fresh)

themes of salvation

• earliest representation of the Madonna and child
• earliest inventions of Christian iconography
• 13km long, 3 stories deep
• housed the remains of some Christian martyrs

Christians preferred ___ rather than ______?

Burial rather than cremation

Fractio Panis

• similar to the Last Supper as there is the communal ritual of breaking the bread

Christ's portrayal

Good shepherd - as he takes care of his people just like a shepherd and flock

What kind of pose is seem in Christ's portrayal as the Good Shepherd?

Contrapposto

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

• depictions of Biblical scenes
• Redemption through Christ - salvation of Junius Bassus as a convert
• carved on three sides, meant to be installed next to a wall

Junius Bassus

• prefect (high official) of Rome
• baptized right before his death

The sarcophagus of Junius Bassus shows what type of redemption?

• redemption through Christ, salvation as a convert

Sacrifice of Isaac

• part of Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

Where was Basilicas used?

• formal meeting place and for law courts

Christ's giving of the law

• traditio legis - Christ is seen as a young man in that Roman tradition
• giving of the law - done by the emperor

What architecture is seen in Old Saint Peter's Basilica?

• adapted Roman elements such as columns
• Axially planned
• Apse
• Nave

Axially planned

• longitudinal axis unlike centrally planned Pantheon

Apse

• semi circular recess where the altar is usually located

Nave

• central corridor where the clergy would be

processional space

Architecture of Old Saint Peter's Basilica

Axially planned
Apse
Nave

Apse

• altar

Nave

• central corridor where the clergy would be

Narthex

• entrance
• vestibule

Atrium

• courtyard

Santa Maria Antiqua

• Sistine Chapel of the Medieval Age
• layers of imagery on top of each other showing different styles

Palimpsest

• illustrations painted on top of each other
• omissions to text still leave a trace
• writings not fully erased, people keep adding
• use and reuse of walls

Maria Regina

• image of Maria Regina as Byzantine empress

BYZANTINE EMPIRE

Byzantine Empire

• modern day name is Istanbul, Turkey

Theodora mosaic

Constantinople

• new capital is Constantinople
• Byzantine capital from 330 CE

Basilica San Vitale, Ravenna

• famous for mosaic lining on the walls
• not located in the Byzantine empire?!, but a famous declaration of emperor Justinian's power to build outside of their territory
• centrally planned

Centrally planned

• circular symettry unlike axial

Columns of the Basilica San Vitale, Ravenna

Apse mosaic

• Christ sitting on a throne handing a throne to Saint Vitalis

Justinian Mosaic

• depicted with a halo and an imperial crown

What are the two ambitions of Justinian's rule?

• restore territorial boundaries of the empire
• establish religious uniformity

Theodora mosaic

• installed in front of Justinian mosaic to show the equality of the two
• depicted with halo and jewels

Apse of the Basilica San Vitale, Italy

Christ, Justinian, Theodora

Hagia Sophia, Constantinople

• Church translated Holy Wisdom (Hagia: holy, Sophia: wisdom)

Golden dome

• suspended from heaven
• turned into a mosque in 1453

How to put a dome on flat walls?

• pendentive: triangular segment of a spherical surface

Medallion with Christ from an Icon Frame

• Byzantine art that depicts Jesus, Mary, and saints

Icon with Saint Demetrios

• iconoclasm

Iconoclasm

• iconoclast criticized icons as sacrilegious

Exodus 20:2-5

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of slavery.

Exodus 23:24

Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their

Hagia Eirene, Constantinople

• some emperors were iconoclasts so some churches did not have icons or decorative walls

Theotokos Mosaic

• located in the apse of Hagia Sophia

Prince Vladimir I of Kyiv

• emperor of Kyivan Rus, became an ally of Byzantinian emperor Basil II

Virgin of Vladimir

• one of the most beloved artworks in Russia, but not Russian in origin as it was likely a diplomatic gift
• actually by Saint Luke
• attributed to several miracles

Battle of Novgorod and Suzdal

• depicts the power or the icon of the Virgin and Christ
• the icon allegedly saved Novgorod when an enemy arrow hit the image

Crusades

• a series of holy wars
• began with the Holy Roman Empire to capture the Holy Land (Jerusalem) from the Muslim rule
• passed through Asia Minor through the help of the Byzantine Empire

Fourth Crusade

• recapturing of Jerusalem but ended up sacking Constantinople

Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs

• Constantinople was looted
• four people leading the empire
• Most of the objects ended up in Venice as it was the provider of ships
• symbolizes unified power

Venetian Mosaic

• depicted the fall of Constantinople

Siege of Constantinople

• Byzantine Empire could not fully recover from the Fourth Crusade
• Black Death (bubonic plague) came around 14th century and wiped half of its population
• Constantinople was then attacked by the Ottomans with heavy artillery

EARLY MEDIEVAL ART

Middle Ages

• Medium Aevum
• called medieval (retroactive term) because it's in between the Roman and Renaissance eras

Book of Kells

• manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Dark Ages

• at this time, Roman culture art and culture were considered old
• reflects more of our knowledge at the time rather than the state of society
• groups such as Vandals destroyed the remains of Roman civilization

Sutton Hoo Burial Ship

• found by amateur archaeologist, Basil Brown
• burial was for an important person who died early 7th century as effort and manpower were needed to bury a whole ship
• contained military equipment, textiles, and treasure
• ship burials were rare in Anglo-Saxon society

Sutton Hoo Helmet

• reconstructed from 500 fragments
• comprised of an iron cap, neck guard, cheek pieces, and face mask
• was embossed with decorative animal panels called Style II

Sutton Hoo purse lid and shoulder clasp

• known for their intricate design

Cloissone technique

• French (partitioned)
• used in the Sutton Hoo purse lid
• technique where formed wires in close shapes are affixed onto a base

Horror vacui

• used in Sutton Hoo belt buckle
• fear of empty spaces which is why the whole object is decorated

Lindisfarne Gospels

• created and illustrated by Eadfrith, bishop of Lindisfarne
  -Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
• written in Latin and translated to Old English
• earliest surviving translation of Gospels in any English languages

Codex

• ancient manuscript in book form
• made either of antelope or calf hide (vellum) or sheep or goat hide (parchment)
• heavily designed

Franks

• one of the most powerful barbarian tribes that took advantage of declining Western Roman empire

Clovis I

• first unifier of the Franks and converted to Christianity in 508

Charlemagne (Charles the Great)

• Franks were ruled by him in 768 - 814
• eventually because the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
• father of Europe, one of the king of Franks, first Holy Roman emperor

Aachen

• center of the Holy Roman Empire

present day Germany

Carolingian art

• art at the time of Charlemagne
• first revival of Classical art

Charlemagne coin

• expanding empire: Charlemagne rebuilt structures lost due to the fall of Western Roman empire
• his Christian faith binded distant lands
• literacy was also part of his empire as he taught priests and religious leaders to spread Christian teachings
• consolidated Christianity
• was given a crown by Pope Leo III

Palatine Chapel

• in Aachen (New Rome)
• centrally planned
• superficial resemblance to San Vitale - imported Ravenna capitals and columns
• Charlemagne's throne is in the gallery

Scriptorium

• center for copying and illustrating manuscripts

Carolingian Miniscule

• the empire produced a new script which is more legible and easier to read
• with this, one skilled scribe can copy 7 pages (25 lines a day)
• this increased legibility and clarity which were important to Charlemagne to increase literacy

The Ebbo Gospels

• stylistic variation made during Carolingian Empire
• portaits of evangelists are rendered painterly
• spatial perspective, 3d object in space

Charlemagne depicted leading an army

• this shows how despite the rise in education, there were still massacres and mass executions
• Carolingian empire eventually split into three kingdoms

Otto I

• Christian Saxon king began his rise in power and then crowned Holy Roman emperor

Otto II

son of Otto I, married princess Theophano of the Byzantine empire

Otto III

• seen as bigger than the other figures
• territories Otto ruled:

Territories Otto III ruled?

Sclavinia, Germania, Gallia, and Rome

Gospels of Otto III

• there was a development in style, exact likeness of the figure was not necessary, but needed clarity on whom was depicted
• gold paint
• trypophobia

Bernward Doors

• commissioned by Bishop Bernward, a member of Ottonian court

Left and Right Door

Left: Fall of Man
Right: Redemption of Man

Rottgen Pieta

• Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus

ROMANESQUE ART

Great Schism

• separation of east Catholic and west Orthodox

What happened in 1096?

• first Crusade

Feudal Society

• based on land ownership and military control
• slaves (property)
• serfs: peasants

Arrangement of Feudal Society from highest to lowest

• kings, nobles, knights, and serfs

Religious Pilgrimages

• journey to a sacred place: act of piety/devotion

Camino de Santiago

• travel on foot across Europe to a holy shrine where bones, believed to belong to Saint James, were unearthed

Relics

• religious object connected to a saint or other holy person, stored in a reliquary
• could take the form of body parts (fingers), clothes, fragments of a cross
• often obtained from crusades
• huge sacred and economic value and every church wanted a relic to increase its popularity - black market boomed with fake and stolen goods

Apsidioles

• where relics would be placed

Romanesque

• revival of stone structures, interior was often very dark