Chapter 12

Rome in the East:

The Art of Byzantium
 Constantinople
• 324 CE Constantine founds new
capital of Roman Empire
• Located in Turkey
• Split between Eastern & Western
Christianity occurs mid-5th century
• Fell to Muslims in 1453
• Modern-day Istanbul, Turkey
 Successors to Augustus
• Byzantium was the successor to Rome
• Called themselves Romans
• Spoke Greek
• Theocratic state: temporal & secular
power
• Emperors sought to eliminate heresy (i.e.
any religion other than Greek Orthodox)
 What makes a good Byzantine
painting?
• Purity of color
• Strong outlines
• Figures pushed up against the picture
plane
• Little to no background
12-1 Justinian as World Conqueror
• Part of a diptych (two
part altarpiece)
• Ivory, mid-6th century
• Justinian large central
figure
• Larger than horse
• Religious images over
all
12-2 Saint Michael the Archangel
• Ivory diptych leaf
• Early 6th century
• Temporal and
spiritual authority
• Inheritance of late
Roman forms
• Drapery folds cover
substantial legs
• Upper body sketchy
12-3 Hagia Sophia, Constantinople
• 532-537 CE
• Anthemius of Tralles
& Isidorus of Miletus
• Mathematicians not
architects
• Scale similar to
Pantheon
• Originally without
minarets
12-4 Plan & Section, Hagia Sophia
• Large central square
with dome
• Subsidiary squares
extend out from
center with smaller
domes & half-domes
• Extended apse
• Centrally planned,
longitudinal emphasis
12-5 Interior view, Hagia Sophia
• Dome pierced by
windows
• Support comes from
subsidiary domes
• Originally too shallow
and too heavy
• Dome replaced in 558
• Final version higher
and more stable
12-6 San Vitale, Ravenna,Italy
• Small church in
capital of Western
Roman Empire
• Remained Byzantine
outpost in Italy after
capture in 539
• Mosaics & churches
largely intact
 12-7 Plan of San Vitale, Ravenna
• Small narthex, or
entryway
• Large octagonal
interior
• Extended apse with
two towers
• Two staircase towers
flank narthex
12-9 Choir & apse of San Vitale
• Christ in majesty in
apse vault
• Mosaics cover every
surface
• Stories of Christ & the
saints
• Marble intarsia along
lower section of walls
12-10 Justinian Mosaic
• Emperor of
Byzantium 527-565
• Represented with
General Belisarius
(conqueror of
Ravenna) and Bishop
Maximianus
• Brings offering of
golden plate to church
12-11 Theodora Mosaic
• Former circus
performer, married
the emperor
• Power behind the
throne
• Attendants not
identified
• Brings chalice to the
church
12-12 Saint Apollinaris Amid Sheep
• Apse mosaic,
Sant’Apollinare in
Classe (Ravenna)
• 533-549
• Saint witnesses the
Transfiguration of
Christ
• Orant stance similar
to catacomb figures
• 12 Sheep=apostles
 12-13 Transfiguration of Christ
• Monastery of St.
Catherine, Mt. Sinai,
Egypt, 565
• Beginning of monastic
movement in Egypt
• Hermits seeking spiritual
life away from civilisation
• Establishment of
monastic “rule” brought
together like-minded
monks into communities
 12-15 Ascension of Christ
Rabbula Gospels
• Parallels the Virgin
and Christ at the
moment of his
ascension
• Angels and apostles
below with Virgin
• Gospels (Matthew,
Mark, Luke & John)
don’t contain story of
ascension—from Acts
12-16 Virgin Theotokos with Saints
Theodore & George
• Encaustic on wood—
painting with pigment
& wax
• Virgin becomes the
“throne” of the Christ
Child in most
representations
• Icon used to focus
devotion of the faithful
 Iconoclasm
• Iconoclasm: literally, breaking icons
• Destruction of images spurred by
reminders of commandment against
graven images
• Strong belief in icons as vehicles of divine
power threatened power of the emperors
• Emperors ordered destruction of icons
beginning 726
• Restoration of images began 843
12-17 Virgin Theotokos, Hagia
Sophia
• Hagia Sophia
converted to mosque
• All human represent-
ations white-washed
• One of the oldest
mosaics from Hagia
Sophia
• Jeweled throne, child
as miniature adult
 12-20 Interior of Katholikon,
Hosios Loukas, Greece
• Note positions of art:
screen, Virgin &
Child, Pantocrator in
dome
• Interior as dramatic
presentation of
transition between
heaven & earth
 12-21 Christ Pantokrator
Church of the Dormition, Dapni
• c. 1090-1100
• 2nd golden age of
Byzantine Art
• Pantokrator: ruler of
all (judge of humanity)
• Flat color, fierce
image
 12-22 Crucifixion, Daphni, Greece
• Icons painted based
on formulas
• All figures to be
visible and flat against
picture plane
• Simple gestures
• Plain gold
background
• Reliance on tradition
San Marco, Venice
• Byzantine influence in
Italian port city
• Central dome with
four supporting
domes
• Ornate façade
• Placed at end of long
piazza
 12-23 Interior of San Marco
• Church as other-
worldly experience
• Parts of church lead
viewer through life,
death & resurrection
of Christ
• Glittering gold back-
ground dazzles
viewer, transports
beyond reality
12-24 Pantokrator, Theotokos &
Child, Apse Mosaic, Monreale
• c. 1180-1190
• Basilica church for
royal patron on Sicily
• Christ as judge in half
dome of apse (no
vault)
• Virgin & Child with
apostles below
 12-27 Lamentation, Saint
Pantaleimon, Nerezi, Macedonia
• Wall painting, 1164
• Christ and Virgin in
sorrow
• St. John holds
Christ’s hand
• Body laid out flat
• Elongated forms
standard
• Sorrowing angels
above
 12-28 David Composing the
Psalms, Paris Psalter
• Classicizing influence
• David as Greek hero
• Naturalistic landscape
• Melody seated behind
• Echo behind column
• Red figure in fore-
ground=Bethlehem
 12-29 Vladimir Virgin
• Culmination of icon
tradition
• Elimination of
subsidiary figures
• Christ child & virgin
meet cheek to cheek
• Damaged over time &
re-painted often
• Believe to have divine
power to protect
 12-31 Anastasis from Chora
• Fresco
• Different palette than
mosaic
• Blue background
• Adam & Eve raised
from tombs
• Satan, locks & keys of
hell trampled under
Christ’s feet
 12-33 Annunciation Icon
• Announcement to
Mary of Christ’s birth
• Angel enters from Left
• Wings still flapping,
garment fluttering
• Mary recoils in fear
• Simplified
architectural frame
 12-34 Andrei Rublyev,
Three Angels
• 3 angels visited
Abraham to tell of the
birth of son Isaac
• Interpreted as
forerunners of Trinity
• Vivid color, sinuous
line
• Small architectural
detail in background