Early Christian, Byzantine, & Islamic Art

Catacomb of Priscilla- (Orant Figure)

(Greek Chapel)

(good shepherd)

• Symbolizes prayer and the soul in heaven

• Often represents the deceased

• A room inside the catacombs with wall paintings 

• Shows biblical scenes and Christian symbolism

• A young man carrying a sheep

• Symbol of Jesus caring for believers: The shepherd was figure who represented faithfulness, compassion, guidance and protection

• Borrowed from Roman art style, but given christian meaning 

Santa Sabina 

• One of the earliest Christian basilica churches, built after Christianity became legal 

• Shows how Romans reused basilica architecture for churches 

• Focuses attention toward the apse and altar 

Apse

Half-circle space at the end of a church (altar goes here)

Atrium-

Open courtyard in front of a church

Central plan- 

Round or polygon building centered on one point

Clerestory-

High windows that let light into the nave

Coffer-

Sunken square panels in a ceiling

Nave- 

Main central space where people sit

Transept-

Side arm that makes the church cross-shaped

Catacomb-

networks of galleries and cemeteries for burying Christian dead, made of tufa bedrock

Cubiculum (cubucula)-

small burial room for a family

Loculi

- long horizontal burial niches in the walls

Lunette-

Half-moon shaped space above a door or niche

Gospels

First four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Orant figure

Figure praying with arms raised

Spolia

Reused parts of older Roman buildings in new structures

Hagia Sophia

For a while it as a church → Mosque→ museum→ Mosque 

• Mixture of central & square (pendentive and squinches) 

• Unity of heaven and earth 

• Resemble pantheon 

What makes Hagia Sophia different?= light 

• Windows at base of dome

• Light creates a mystical, heavenly feeling

San Vitale

• Cental plan, octagonal shape, complex interior spaces, emphasis on altar 

• Focus on imperial power, religion

Justinian and Attendants

• Justinian holds a bread

• Represents political power, religious authority 

• Flat, frontal hieratic (god is higher)

Theodora and Attendants 

• Theodora holds a chalice (wine)

• Powerful, holy 

• Background suggests a church entrance 

Virgin (theotokos) and Child between Saint Theodore and George 

theotokos= “mother of god” 

• Behind the Theotokos and child are two angels looking upward to a shaft of light where the hand of God appears. 

• Virgin shown as regal, still, spiritual, not emotional 

• Gold background: heaven 

• Same height, no perspective 

Christ's child shows wisdom & majesty

Rebecca and Eliezar at the well from the Vienna Genesis 

• Shows movement and emotion

• Landscape, classical influence 

What classical elements are retained?

• Drippary dress 

How is Medieval style shown?

• Nuinity, clothing, perspective 

Jacob Wrestling the Angel 

• Figures interact physically

• Mix of classical motion + christian meaning 

Chalice

Cup holding wine for the Eucharist

Codex

Early book form (pages bound together)

Eucharist

Christian ritual of bread and wine

Icon

Sacred image used for prayer

Iconoclasm

Destruction of holy images

Mosaic

Image made from small colored pieces (tesserae)

Paten

Plate holding bread for Eucharist

Pendentive

Curved triangle supporting a dome

Squinch

Corner support that helps place a dome

Theotokos

“Mother of God”

Five Pillars of Islam 

• Faith: there is no God but Allah; Muhammad is his messenger

• Prayer: Salat-obligatory prayers said five times daily 

• Chariity: Zakat- “purification” or “growth”

• Fasting: during month of Ramadan

• Pilgrimage: Hajj-trip to Mecca once 

• Pyxis of al-Mughira

• Used for luxury goods, shows royal life, demonstrates high craftsmanship

• Muhammad ibn al-Zain, Basin or Baptilstere de St. Louis

• Used in European royal courts 

• Used for washing hands 

• The Ardabil Carpet 

• Used in a shrine: precision, calligraphy, spiritual symbolizm 

• The kaaba 

• Most sacred site in Islam

• Located inside the Great Mosque of Meca

• Muslims face it during prayer 

• Dome of the Rock

• Meant to rival the Christian church of the Holy sepulcher 

• Calligraphy

• No figure imagery 

• Great Mosque, Isfahan, Iran

• Four iwan mosque

• Central courtyard 

• Muqarnas decoration

• Indicates the direction of Mecca