EVDS-1660-A02 - History of Culture-Chapter 8 Byzantine Art

Art historians apply the term "Byzantine" Constantinople ( ancient name was Byzantium).

There were three periods to Byzantine art: the Early Byzantine period, the Middle Byzantine period, and the Late Byzantine period(restoration of byzantine rule).

Silver=constantiople had monopoly over luxary goods

Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus CHURCH OF HAGIA SOPHIA, CONSTANTINOPLE
Modern Istanbul. 532-537. View from the southwest.

“holy wisdom”, purple imperial colour, theodora would prefer staying than fleeing, hang from golden chain from heaven,Hybrid og Longitud and central plan, made as protection for battle,

-imperial power and justinian power

-flanking conches(half domes) extend the central space into a longitudinal nave that expands outward from the central dome to connect with the Narthex on one end and. the half dome apse the other.

Naos (processional core)is flanked by side aisles with galleries above them. .

- Mixture of Basilica and rotunda and masonry ring that support the dome

-Main dome rest on four Pendentives(Triangle vault curvings) with piers at square base

Dome seems to float.

Golden mosaic on domes and pendentives ad by windows

-windows help creat illusion of hover

squnich

challenge the architectural logic of the Masonry because it seems weak everyone it needs to be strong, dome created the circle of light that helps it to “hover”, boldest architecture in history, became prefered method of supporting domes. Resemble rites in middle Byzantine. Celebration of the Eucharist between sanctuary and nave, Emperor could only go to sanctuary. Gigantic theater for oublic, imperial worship to god. Surronded with silver that crafted decoration(on altar, Ciborium, ambo, screen. no figural on walls hefore shift between the shimmring of silver.

CHURCH OF SAN VITALE
View into the sanctuary toward the northeast. c. 547.

Church that was patronized, incredible amount od mosaics, and art work is preserved because it wasn’t adopted as a mosque. Martyrium=church over grave of Martyr.Pll coming fro right only saw arch opening , coming form left saw sanctuary,

CHRIST ENTHRONED, FLANKED BY ANGELS, ST. VITALIS, AND BISHOP ECCLESIUS: jeuss dressed in imperial purple and on cosmic orb in paradise, scroll for authority,

EMPRESS THEODORA AND HER ATTENDANTS, SOUTH WALL OF THE APSE
Church of San Vitale, Ravenna. Consecrated 547.
Mosaic,

Same framing, marble carving, Marble fountain, attendants(male, female), Theodora at the centre w/ purple, she’s standing in a niche, has a halo. airy floating sensation, veined marble veneer and color glass and gold mosaics. Structure seems to dissolve in light and shimmering colour. Focuss on figural mosaics to get worshiper attention.

Celebration of Eucharist, set across from Justinian

Theodorah beneath a fluted shell canopy, singled out by a halo and crown, carries golden jeweled chalice. Present gifts to christ(like bishop Ecclesius in halfdone apse,. Three magi who brought gift to jesus is embroidment of theodora purple cloak. Chalice and paten offered by theodorah and Justinian will be used in church to offer Eucharistic bread and wine. whole decoration revolves around offering.

Theodora group stand infront of fountain of courtyard infront of church. Doorway and curtain are space creating devices but does not interfere with mosaic flat surface pattern. Figures cast no shadow, their outlines as silhouette shapes are more prominent then the three dimensionality Carful .overlapping of figure allows us to see in logical space within a shallow space, stately position left to right entrance of the church. mosaic are both flattened and three dimensional, abstract and representational, patterned and individualized. there and not there

THE MONASTERY OF ST. CATHERINE, SINAI

retreats for worlds, secluded, monks and nuns, tax-exempt, new monastery was built, notion of theophany, blue mandora(body halo)

Luxary objects

Scriptoria(area for profession document writer) for production of manuscripts (hand written books)

Use of ivory diptyche( can be seen at the front of bibles, expensive works of art, christian took this from roman, doe snot need to follow human rules

REBECCA AT THE WELL
Page from a codex featuring the book of Genesis (known as the Vienna Genesis). Made in Syria or Palestine. Early 6th century. Tempera, gold, and silver paint on purple-dyed vellum,

illimunated manuscripts, books two form:codex or scrolls. Sheets of Papryus glued end to end or from Parchment(sheepskin/calfskin) or . Vellum(softer and lighter calfskin material). End were attched to rods and can be read vertically/horizontal.

Codex: sheets bounded together like a book, replaces scroll as primary text recording made of 8 leaf quire and large sheets of parchment folded twice, cutting edges, sewing sheet up the center. weight and thricklness of vellum means there was few copies.

manuscripts: include illistration called miniatures(reddish lead pigment),decorated with gold and colours to be illuminated. Made out of expensive material like purple dies vellum and gold and silver inks(vienna genesis). Purple Vellum for imperial patron, since its costly and restricted to imperial use.

Rebecca at the well:single composition, continious narrative, events at diff times within a single narrative space. Rebecca(heroine) is left and walking away from the wall city of Nahor with large jug to garb water. Rebecca appears again on foreground(can tell by costume) jug now full and offers water to thirsty camel driver(abraham servant, Eliezer) in search for Abraham son’s(Isaac) a bride. rebecca generosity lead to her and Isaac Marriage. Rounded and life like bodies with the narrative conform to roman paintings. metallic letters and purple backround shows wealth and power in Byzantine.

VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH SAINTS AND ANGELS
Icon. Second half of the 6th century. Encaustic on wood,
Monastery of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai, Egypt.

Rare find as many icons no longer exsist, mother was viewed as ever forgiving intercessor appeal apon her son for mercy on behalf of worshipers. Virgin and chil flanked by christian warrior saints Theodore(left) and George(right)(figures said to have slayed dragons, triumph of church over evil serpents). Angels look upward towards heaven. ANgel, child and Virgin represented illusion of life like and three dimensional. Warrior saints(mette viewer gaze) more stylized, barely hints at bodily form beneath cloaks and faces frozen in stare of intensity.

Images of saints, Mary, and Christ were painted on the walls of churches or panels, known as icons.Aids to meditation and prayers. Honor showed through images believed to transfer directly spiritually. Church doctrine distinguished the veneration of icons as not being idolatry if a holy idea or person was depicted.Iconoclasm”image breaking”, or the destroying of icons, in the eighth century meant that few survived, and those that did were from isolated places outside of the Byzantine Empire. Feared that use of image in worship would distract worshipers form the spiritual exercise.

Empress Theodora reversed the iconoclastic policy in 843.

Iconophiles=lovers of images-placed images of worship again,

VIRGIN AND CHILD in THE APSE OF HAGIA SOPHIA

Early indication of virgin in throne, chair and baby jesus,Get asked about the evololution of this art,=pain and emotion start to become important

Floating with no natural or architectual setting, graceful modeled faces, elegantly bodies poportions, jewled studded bench show singular importance of their placement,chalenging the ruler to manitin the orthodoxy it represented.

MONASTERY CHURCHES AT HOSIOS LOUKAS, Stiris

mosaic of lamb of god, squinches

CENTRAL DOMED SPACE AND APSE (THE NAOS), KATHOLIKON
Monastery of Hosios Loukas.

organized in three levels, christ Pantokrator, virgin Mary and Pentecost,

INTERIOR, CATHEDRAL OF SANTA SOPHIA, KIEV

standard iconagraphic for orthodox churches

Church of the Dormition, Daphni, Greece. c.

intellectual idea, focus on essential elements of narrative scenes, conveying mood in elegant way, Crucifixion,, emotional appeal and symbolic appeal,

LAMENTATION WITH STANDING MONASTIC SAINTS BELOW

Macedonia, emotionalism of sacred narrative, non biblical episode, forges direct link with viewers emotions. Focuses on Virgin’s anguish,

Painterly spontaneity- ,

INTERIOR (A) AND PLAN (B) OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARK , venice
Familiarize

Visualize and magic of gold, lots of gold, the impact(evening during the dark with candle would reflect of the ceiling and create a luminance experience in compairaison of the heavens)

designed as greek cross, 5 great domes, each dome has its own vertical axis, golden mosaic on vault ,pendentive and domes.

HARBAVILLE TRIPTYCH

precious Objects of commemoration, Veneration, and Devotion.

Enamel work,

This is called an ivory and it is a portable devotion object with two hinged wings and that be shut for travel. private prayer, high status and wealth.

top panel=enthrone christ flanked by mary and st-John the baptist,

Lower panel is ste-peter pointing up with 4 apostles,

Outer panle(front and back)military saints, bishop saints and Martyrs.

back cenral-symbolic child

DAVID COMPOSING THE PSALMS

painterly quality becomes more advance, three dimentional, robe detail,classical revival,14 miniatures

Manuscripts

VIRGIN OF VLADIMIR

ex of Iconoclasm,

personal and immediate religion, icons, iconographic”virgin of compassion”,

A CLOSER LOOK: Icon of St. Michael the Archangel

books are expensive (handmade, paint stained copied, make the vellum and pigment , only wealthy people would have books)

Late Byzantine art

Building more and bigger but still seeing longitude plan etc,

focuses n funery themes, mosaics and book ahve similar style,

ANASTASIS

Seeing Fresco more often, less time consuming or other reasons and still the use of icons and gold, deceased head would be turned upward towards the mosaic, level of tenderness we havne’t seen

one point perspective

Andrey Rublyov THE HOSPITALITY OF ABRAHAM
Icon. c

double sided icon, made in capital, greek geometrical concention for figures, , byzantine invented an ideal geometry to evoke and spiritual realm, salient contours,

Roman art w/ Christian messages