WAH: Final Exam

Symbols in Early Christian Art:

• Jesus as the Good Shepherd: Shown in many mosaics/artworks…trying to connect younger generations to Jesus and who he is as they are more detached now from his story

• The cross and the crucifixion as a symbol

• The ichthus (fish symbol)--an acronym 

• The halo—originally a pagan symbol that gets established by the Romans…referred to the god Sol Invictus (the victorious sun)

  • Only Jesus’ halo has the cross shape within it (the cruciform halo)

  • Square halos were for people who had not died yet but exemplify the qualities that will make them saints once they die 

• Stories from the Gospels, especially miracles (like the feeding of the 5,000)

• Jesus’ baptism — the Trinity 

The Romans used ____ for their floors…the Byzantines elevated them to the walls and ceilings, introducing precious stones and tinted and gilded glass

Mosaic

Mosaics were a glimpse of the new Jerusalem

Byzantines also started pressing the tesserae into the mortar at different angles so it would glitter in the light

Baptisteries

• Either circular or octagonal—

  • The Heavens were considered circular

  • Octagonal—the doctrine of the 8th day (God sets out a cycle of time in Genesis of 7 days…but a day will come that will be the day that will never end, which is the 8th day, when we move out of chronological time into eternity)

  • Mausolea were also octagonally-shaped

Roman Verism —

the “Veristic” (truthful) portrait

• You can see all the wrinkles, blemishes and details on the face

• (Slide) Etruscan head

• They understood the wisdom and experience that came with age

Rome

• City established by Romulus on April 21, 753 BCE

• Roman Republic

• See slide for rest…

Aulus Metellus

• Consider symbolic connections to Christianity

• Highly naturalistic bronze statue

• Modified contrapposto in a gesture of address

  • Connects to depictions of Christ holding up his right hand with 3 fingers up (a gesture of blessing or benevolent address)

Patrician Carrying Portrait Busts of Two Ancestors (Barberini Togatus)

• Marble

• Many well-to-do houses would have a room for the portrait busts of their ancestors

  • They worshipped and venerated them

Roman Architecture

• Great “problem solvers” and “social engineers”

• Transplant the Roman way of life throughout the realm through the building of their cities with essential…

• See slide for rest…

The Roman Arch

• With blocks that lock together…the keystone in the center locks it all in place

• Line them up and you make a barrel vault (tunnel)

• Cross them and you have a groin vault

• Pont Du Gard — Aqueducts were made of arches…slight angled slope to bring water down to the city

  • Masters of geometry!

★ The Romans made everything as grand as possible

Roman Column Orders

• The Composite Order

  • Up on a pedestal

  • Looks quite Ionian

• The Tuscan Order

  • Also on a pedestal

  • Much more simple, similar to Doric

Augustus of Primaporta

• Would’ve been colorful

• Seeing the transformation/shift of the gesture of address

• He is wearing his military armor but has taken his sandals off—the victory has been won; it’s now time for [the Augustan] peace

• Facial features are very similar to Alexander the Great’s

  • Saying “I’m like Alexander, another youthful leader”

    • Curls of hair on his forehead were used on portraits of Alexander

Altar of Augustan Peace (Ara Pacis Augustae)

• Abundance and prosperity!

• Flora and fauna

• Controlled patterns that point to a divine order

• ^^^ used in the early Christian church

• Garlands with fruit (at Christmas) tie back to this altar—supranatural abundance

Pompeii—Eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE

• Pompeii and Herculeanen were sort of “resort” towns

• They set stones in the road so that carriages could go over them and people could cross the road without stepping onto the dirty street

• Peristyle Garden

• Roman frescoes

• Wall Painting in the “Ixion Room”

• Illusionistic painting really developed

• Garden paintings—supranatural abundance

• Painting of everyday objects—glass vase w/ water in it

• Portrait of a Married Couple

Portrait of a Married Couple

• Woman is holding a stylus as well as a folded, wax tablet for writing…she is telling you that she is literate 

• Man is holding a scroll—a period where books are starting to be invented; codexes; in Christian images, when a figure is depicted holding a scroll, you are dealing with an OT figure or text…if it is NT, it will be shown in book/codex form

• Look for similarities to icons

• Large, frontal eyes

• Repetitive poses

Icon =

Image

Icon in the monastery of Sta. Catherine, Mount Sinai, Egypt

• Second half of 6th century

• Encaustic on wood

• Images signal that there is something beyond…there is something eternal

• Angels’ gaze guide our eyes to the hand of God

• Every figure has a halo

• Eyes of the 4 central figures (frontality) stare into us and call us to recognize the truth

• Less narrative in this icon

Icons were seen as ____ to Heaven

windows

An image of the person transformed as they appear in Heaven bearing the image of Christ

Andrey Rublyov: Three Angels Visiting Abraham (Old Testament Trinity)

• Icon c. 1410-1425…Tempera on panel

• Russian icon

Herakleitos The Unswept Floor

• Mosaic version of a 2nd century BCE painting by Sosos of Pergamon, from a villa on the Aventine Hill in Rome

• Floor mosaic

• Shows the left-over scraps from a bountiful banquet—a way of remembering abundance and festivities

• Mouse—there is even enough for “the least of these”

• Supranatural abundance

Roman Colosseum

• Over 400,000 people died for entertainment

• ^ Tells us a lot about human nature at this time (1st c. CE)

Arch of Titus

• Triumphal arch form that continues to be used to this day

• Imagery: triumphal entry of the emperor…A Nike is placing a crown of victory on his head (think again of iconographic connections)

★ Stylization is a specific ____ made for a ____

choice; reason

Column of Trajan, c. 117 CE

• Depicts the campaigns against the Dacians

• Trajan’s ashes were in the base at one point

• Statue of Trajan replaced with St. Peter by Pope in 1588

• Empire reaches its greatest extent under Trajan

• Base of the column is a triumphal wreath

• Only weapons piled are pictured, no people—the victory has been won…another version of figures taking their sandals off after victory

Pantheon

• Notice the excavated ground around it that shows how much lower the street level used to be…there was once a staircase that led up to the front of the building (grandizement)

• Temple to “all the gods,” 118-128 CE

• Domed construction—the dome wouldn’t have been very visible from the outside on the ground level

• Importance of light

The oculus (hole in the center of the dome) is 40 feet in diameter!

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

• Notice the gesture and similarities to icon gesture of benevolent blessing

• Only Imperial Equestrian statue preserved because it was thought to be an image of Constantine, the first “Christian” emperor

Pantocrater =

Ruler of all

Medieval =

“Middle Age”

Interlace

 A linear, ribbon form…a single strand that moves in and out of itself; a symbol of a divine, cosmic order that lies under everything. Christianity takes the symbol and defines it in Christian terms—“God created this peaceful order”

Romanesque — Rome has fallen but now there is a revival of …

Roman-like architecture (a renaissance)

Early Christian Era —

• 249 CE Decius declares all Roman civilization must sacrifice to the Roman gods and the Cult of the Emperor (treating of him as a deity)

  • Persecution of Christians

• 312 Battle of Milvian Bridge—Constantine defeats Maxentius and becomes sole Emperor of Rome

• 313 Edict of Milan—Constantine legalizes Christianity

• 324-30 Constantine moves capital to East—Constantinople

• 392 Theodosius divides Empire into East and West, establishes the split of the Christian church

Symbol of the victory of Christ

(P w/ an X over it)

The Age of Anxiety — figures were often shown…

huddled together, clasping one another

Early Christian Art

• Key concept: appropriation vs. syncretism (borrowing from one tradition and giving new meaning vs when you don’t completely throw out the Pagan origin of something)

• Jewish origins

• Sarcophagus

• Basilical vs. centralized plan

• Baptistery—the “eighth day”—eternity

• Mausoleum

• Catacombs

• Mosaics; tesserae

Cubiculum of Leonis, Catacomb of Commodilla

• Near Rome; late 4th century

• Fresco painting

• Bearded Christ to show older age

Key Christian Symbols, Subjects and Themes

• Typology

• Evangelist Symbols/Living Creatures of Revelation

• Latin vs. Greek Cross

• Chi Rho—know the symbol (P w/ x)

• Alpha and Omega

• Good Shepherd; Jonah, Moses, other OT figures (Jewish influence)

• Breaking of the Bread to Last Supper

• Orant figures—hands raised in praise and adoration

• The Vine/Wine to Last Supper to Eucharist

• Teacher to Ruler

Study different cross-types

Latin, Greek, Tau, Saint Peter’s (upside down) crosses

Alpha and Omega — I and X

Early Christian ceiling fresco in a catacomb

• Jesus as the Good Shepherd in the center—He will go to any lengths to bring back the lost sheep 

• Narrative of Jonah’s story in the 4 side panels

Basilical-plan and Central-plan churches

• Old Saint Peter’s, Rome

  • Roman-like steep staircase up to the front

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

• Blue mosaics!

  • Garlands over the arches—supranatural abundance/provision

  • Figures pointing to what is important/where you should look—instructional figures

  • Figures carrying crosses—likely a martyr

  • Cabinet with open doors—holds illustrated manuscripts

  • Jesus as the Good Shepherd—a conflation (bringing together of images) of who Christ is; halo(divinity and kingship), holding the shepherd’s crook but it is a cross (staff and scepter)…imagery of a shepherd brought together with imagery of a ruling king (think of how odd that is! The upside-down aspect of the Gospel); at the base is a cut-away of the earth below…the roots and new life;  

• Cross-shaped building

Byzantine Art

• End of Western Roman Empire 476 CE

• Justinian I (527-65 CE) and Theodora

• Iconoclastic Controversy 726-843 CE

• Reinstatement of veneration of icons 843 CE

• Russia becomes Christian 988 CE

• Division of Church: Catholic (West) & Orthodox (East)

• Crusades begin 11095 CE

• Western Rule of Constantinople 1204-61 CE

• Return to Byzantine rule 1261 CE

• Fall of Constantinople to Turks 1453 CE

San Vitale — 8-sided building

• Doctrine of the 8th day (eternity)

• Simple brick outside but decked out with mosaics and marble on the inside

• Angels in spaces where Nikes would’ve been shown

• Christ sitting on an orb (sovereignty) wearing purple robes

• Supranatural abundance and Scroll imagery — God’s order and provision

• Dominance of green-colored mosaic—new life/flourishing!

• Emperor Justinian and His Attendants

• Empress Theodora and Her Attendants

• Emperor Justinian and His Attendants

• Flanking the most holy place in the church

• Justinian is wearing purple robes…he is ruling “in Christ’s stead”

• Carrying the bread for the Eucharist

• Halo—ruler

• Background is gold, at their feet is green—the heavenly and the temporal…divine reality (gold) and life that he brings and sustains (green)

• Green shield w/ Chi Rho 

• Empress Theodora and Her Attendants

• Green and gold

• Purple robes

• Halo of rule

• Holding the cup of the Eucharist

• The fountain of the living water and provision from God

• The niche over Theodora—shell-like form associated with birth/re-birth and life (taken from Pagan imagery)

Plan of Monastery and Central Domed Space and Sanctuary of Katholikon, Hosios Loukas

• Example of a Greek cross in a church plan

• Prime example of a Byzantine church

Lux (Latin) and Mundi meaning

Light
World

Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples

• Gilded background — divine presence

• Cruciform halo

• Beardless Christ

• Gesture of blessing

• Figures reaching out to Christ, drawing the composition into him

Crux Gemata

• = Jeweled cross

• Using gold and embedding it with jewels, indicating the preciousness of the value of something (like Christ’s death and resurrection)

• (Christ in Majesty fresco…Christ is breaking out of the boundaries of the composition, signaling him reaching out to us and having power that can’t be contained)

Gospel Book Cover

• Mandorla (means “almond”)

• A full-body halo that signifies Revelation of the Divine to human beings

• Framing is a cross

Carpet Page

• Green, blue, red, gold

• Interlace!

• Connection to Christian prayer rugs

Crucifixion w/ Angels and Mourning Figures—Lindau Gospel cover

• Gold with jewels embedded

• Cross frame in the center, showing Christ on the cross w/ cruciform halo

• Christ looks very alive on the cross—depicts the victorious Christ on the cross

• Repousse

• Rosette design below each of Christ’s hands—think of climbing roses

  • Connection to Pagan—roses received thorns to represent protection of purity…a symbol of sacrificial love (which is what Christ did!)

Gero Crucifix

• Shows the suffering Christ

• The jeweled cross again as his halo—a precious gift that was given

Equestrian Portrait of Charles the Bald (?)

• Bronze, ~ 9.5 inches tall

• Orb of sovereignty

• Returning to the imperial equestrian portrait

Charlemagne

• Holy Roman Emperor

• 800 CE — ^when he is crowned this (kind of an act of re-establishing the Roman Empire)...a lot is changing in this year

• Revival of Roman Imperial forms

• Triumphal arch 

• “We are now in a renewed era”

Palace Chapel of Charlemagne

• He built it in Germany, inspired by Roman/Germanic styles

• Bi-colored arches

• Original mosaic of Christ Pantocrator on the ceiling dome—“Ruler of All”

  • ^Charlemagne connecting himself to this vision of Christ

The Doors of Bishop Bernward (commissioner) Abbey of Saint Michael

Hildesheim, Germany—1015

• 16’6’’ tall

• Tells the Scriptural story!

• Lower sections have less dimensionality because you could see them better

• Theatrical action—narrative focus!

• Nature also reveals what has occurred in the Fall

  • (God is depicted as Jesus as the Word)

  • Framing elements on the left are very controlled…right side is withered and falling vines

  • Figures point to one another…progresses the narrative of blame

• The Fall (left door…narrative going down) and redemption (right door…narrative going up!)

• 5 vertices in many compositions

• Breaking boundaries of pictorial space

Hildegard of Bingen: The Universe

• Abstracted design of cosmic imagery from Hildegard’s visions

Romanesque = “In the Roman manner”

• Revival of ancient Roman art and architecture

• Monumental forms, volumes, round arches, load-bearing walls

• Large-scale sculpture—relief at first and increasingly in greater 3 dimensions over time

• Very small windows to keep the structure stable

The Road to Emmaus

Cloister of the Abbey of Santo Domingo, Silos, Spain c. 1100

• Relief sculpture—pilgrimage!

• Line, pattern, simplified stylization

The Pomegranate—symbolism (15th century)

• Some scholars believe that the Tree of Life was a pomegranate tree

• Some have yellow skin, others have the typical red skin

• A seed pod packed w/ seeds/trees

• Abundant life, possibility, and regeneration!

• Christ’s sacrifice—bright red juice that spurts out when you bit into the seed

• The juice turns black if you have cuts on your hands…the stain of sin

• The split pomegranate—a bursting forth of power

• (Red and blue outfits—dual-nature of Christ…humanity and divinity)

Hagia Sophia — Istanbul-Byzantine

• Byzantium became the new Christian capitol

• Legalization of Christianity

• Built it on a pagan temple

• Nika Riots of 532

  • Arson attack of the original Hagia Sophia…was rebuilt later, destroyed again, and rebuilt a third time

• Justinian chose two scholar-theoreticians as his architects rather than particularly trained architects

• Experimentally synthesized the two building plans we’ve discussed

• Flexibility of brickwork has helped it stand for a long time

• Pendentives = Triangular vs. Squinches = Octagonal

• Reaching up to the divine!

• Symbolism of 40 = (suffering) Jews wandering for 40 years, Jesus fasting for 40 days

• Iconoclasm = destruction of images in churches

• Mosaics

  • Christ and his divinity

    • Theotokos—Mother of God…Christ incarnate

    • South West Vestibule—Rulers and their Gifts…halos around the ruler’s heads

    • Deesis—mostly destroyed…Mary and John intercede…Jesus blessing and holding the Book of Life (IC XC = Jesus Christ; MP OY = Mother of God)

  • Glass set at angles, reflecting light

• Staple of culture, society and religion

St. Lazare, Autun — France-Romanesque

• Pilgrimage location where grieving mothers would seek healing/prayer for problems with infertility

• Sort of out of the way from other common pilgrimages

• Contains what was believed to be the bones of St. Lazarus 

• Originally Romanesque; Gothic elements added later

  • Part of it destroyed in fire, so rebuilt Gothic

• Eve statue — fertility—under which people would enter the church

• The Last Judgement — Christ judging souls…souls of the damned (Christ’s left), souls of the saved (Christ’s right). 

  • Christ enthroned as judge over all. 

  • Mandorla around Christ. 

  • Christ depicted very large.

  • Angels carved more cleanly; demons stretched out and deformed-looking

  • Bottom = Pilgrimage of the souls marching toward Heaven

  • Gislebertus Hoc Fecit = Gislebertus made this

    • Either the artist of a patron for the art piece

• Confusion between depictions of Lazarus—Saint Lazarus or sick man (w/ same name) from passage in Luke?

• Flight into Egypt

  • Found near the entrance

  • Important for women—represented a Pilgrimage to protect a child

• Hanging of Judas

  • Demons

  • Foliage

• St. Martha and Mary Magdalene

Ste. Chapelle, Paris — France-Gothic

• Louis IX — commissioner for the church

  • Known as a man of faith

  • Canonized as a saint 27 years after his death

• 600 sq meters of windows!

• Thin yet deep buttresses (no need for flying buttresses because the building is small enough)

• Four-bay aisleless nave

• Upper chapel = place of worship for king and his guests and held the relics

• Lower = place of worship for palace staff and servants

• Symbolism = Fleur de lis (symbol of France), castles (symbol of Spain after his mother)

• King’s authority was sacred

• Blue, red, gold stained glass—color it makes inside was called “Heavenly Radiance”

  • Blue = Heaven

  • Red = Christ’s passion

  • Gold = Divine glory

• Built in less than a decade, quite quickly

• Believed to hold the relic of the crown of thorns

• King Louis IX didn’t want the Archbishop to have control of the church…he wanted control of it

• 15 windows tell a narrative

• Statues of 12 Apostles

  • Aligned with dividing columns

  • Apostles as the “true pillars of the church”

• Naturalistic foliage — abundant life

• Building overflows with symbolism