Byzantine Art
- Ravenna timeline: Early Christian → Germanic (Theodoric) → Byzantine (Justinian)
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, ca. 425
- for half sister of the ruler Honorius
- Exterior: plain and unadorned
- Interior: Highly decorated w/ many mosaics, etc., combo of basilica and central plans
- Mosaics:
- starry sky above lunette
- lunette containing good shepherd type Jesus holding a cross shaped staff
- Lunette: half medallion shapes
- Old Classical, volume, 3D, foreground and background
- Large tesserae
- S. Apollinaire Nuovo, Ravenna, ca. 504
- Germanic style during Theodoric’s period
- has very Germanic feature of the cylinder tower
- basilica plan
- Mosaics:
- 3 tiers
- Upper 2 belonging to Germanic period seen to be heretical
- Miracles of the Loaves and Fishes
- Christ wearing imperial gold and purple, beardless
- flat figures, ambiguous, quick read/understanding
- Last Supper
- Christ: bearded, reclining with apostles, bread, and fish
- no background context
- S. Apollinaire in Classe, ca. 533-549
- relocated church for S. Apollinaire
- Basilica plan
- Mosaics:
- S. Apollinaire was a martyr so his followers would be too, like martyrdom of Jesus
- Medallion w/ cross and Hand of God above it in golden skyscape
- Moses and Elijah above
- 3 sheep: John, Peter, and Paul who would also become martyrs
- S. Vitale, Ravenna, ca. 526-547 (Germanic Period)
- Paid for by Julian Argentarious
- Under Bishop Eclesius
- Octangular ambulatory, and apse,
- Octangular Central plan somewhat mixed w/ Basilica
- Upside down pyramid capitals w/ floral and geometric patterns
- Impost Block: Adds height and acts as a transition between capital and upper parts
- Mosaics:
- Justinian in center w/ nimbus and flanking figures
- Maximianus: Bishop of Ravenna, more attention to detail
- Theodora: Wife of Justinian w/nimbus, outside of church being ushered in, canopy magnifies position, became an actress in Constantinople, was noticed by Justinian at a performance
- Glass in different shapes
- Apse Mosaic: Second Coming of Christ
- Imperial colors on Christ and Justinian
- Christ flanked by Michael and Gabriel
Constantinople
- Hagias Sophia, Anthemios and Isidoros, Constantinople, ca. 532-537 (Justinian)
- Central plan
- Architects: Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletos (mathmetician and scientists not actual architects)
- Weight from domes transferred to square shapes of the building
- Gallery for upper class and nobles so they could be separated from common folk
- From church to Mosque to museum
- Daphni Monastery, near Athens, ca. 1100
- Icons: objects with holiness and power, sometimes seen as idols
- Mosaics:
- Crucifixion of Jesus: Triangle of figures with Christ at the center of John and the Virgin Mary
- Gold Background
- Symbolic rather than pain and suffering
- Angle on the left, VM on the right, looking at each other
- Squinch: Hollowed shell placed on corner of building to transfer weight
- Nerezi, Lamentation over the Dead Christ, 1164
- Scene of Christ before he is put into the tomb for 3 days
- Highly Emotional
- Vladimir Madonna, early 12th Cent.
- Icon: portable, meant to be seen by multiple people
- Icons return in huge demand after Iconoclasm repeal
- Madonna w/ Melancholic expression as if recognizing her Son’s sacrifice
- The Old Testament Trinity, Andrei Rublev, ca. 1410
- pyramidal form like Daphni mosaic
- strong lines and colors to differentiate between figures
- St. Michael Diptych, early 6th Cent.
- Classical depiciton and facade
- figures seem to float in space
- still somewhat ambiguous
- Older style
- Anatasius Diptych, early 6th Cent.
- Emperor Anastasius holding a Mappa on a throne
- Mappa: used to start/signal races
- More Contemporary Style
- Veroli Casket, early 11th Cent.
- Mythological scenes
- Putti seen taking part in a hunting scene (bottom)
- Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter for favorable outcomes at Troy (top)