Byzantine Art

Early Byzantine 500-726 c.e.Iconoclastic Controversy 726-843 c.e.

Middle or High Byzantine 843-1204 c.e.Late Byzantine 1204-1453 c.e.

Key Ideas of Byzantine Art• The Byzantine Empire was born out of the remains of

the Roman Empire and continued many elements of the Roman classical tradition, but in a Christian framework

• Byzantine painting specialized in mosaics, icons, and manuscript illumination

• Byzantine art had two traditions, one reflecting the classical past and a more hieratic style that represented medieval art- often in the same work

• Byzantine architects invented the pendentive and squinch for buildings known for their mysterious and shadowy interiors.

Hagia Sophia 532-537 Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus

• Combination of Centrally and axially planned church

• Exterior plain and massive, little decoration• Altar at the end of nave but emphasis is

placed over the area covered by the dome• Dome supported by pendentives• Large central dome, with 40 windows at the

base symbolically acting as a halo over the congregation when filled with light.

Hagia Sophia

• Cornice unifies the space.• Large fields for mosaics: at one time had 4

acres of gold mosaics on walls• Many windows punctuate the wall spaces• Minarets added in the Islamic period• Patrons were Emperor Justinian and Empress

Theodora, who commissioned the work after the burning of the original building in the Nike revolt.

San Vitale 526-547c.e., Ravenna

• Eight sided church• Plain exterior except porch added later In

Renaissance• Large windows for illuminating interior

designs• Interior has thin columns and open arched

spaces• Dematerialization of the mass of the structure

Justinian and Attendants, c,547, mosaic from San Vitale, Ravenna

Justinian and Attendants

• To his left the clergy, to his right the military• Dressed in royal purple and gold• Symmetry, frontality• Holds a paren for the Eucharist• Slight impression of procession forward: cf.

Roman Imperial works• Figures have no volume, seem to float, and

yet step on each other’s feet

•Minimal background: green base at feet, golden background indicates timelessness•Maximianus identified, patron of San Vitale•Halo indicates saintliness, a semidivinity as head of church and state•Justinian and Theodora are actively participating in the Mass- their position over the altar enhances this allusion

•Slight displacement of absolute symmetry with Theodora- she plays a secondary role to her husband.

•Richly robed empress and ladies at court

•She stands in an architectural framework, holding a chalice for the mass, and is about to go behind the curtain

•Figures are flattened and weightless, barely a hint of a body can be detected beneath the drapery

•Three Magi, who bring gifts to the baby Jesus, are depicted on the hem of her dress. This reference draws parallels between Theodora and the Magi

Monastery Churches, tenth to eleventh centuries, Hosios Loukas,

Greece• Exterior shows decorative placement of stonework and

soft interplay of horizontal and vertical elements• Large windows areas punctuated by smaller holes,

creating a sense of mystery in the interior• Interior wall spaces dissolve into delicate arches• Octagonal squinches support dome surrounded by

windows• Church has a light interior filled with sparkling mosaics • Good examples of the Middle Byzantine tradition

Monastery Churches, tenth to eleventh centuries, Hosios Loukas,

Greece• Extensive use of variously colored marbles on the

lower floors and mosaics or frescoes in the elevated portions of the buildings.

• Domes tend to be low and have windows around the base

• Middle and late buildings have a strong vertical emphasis. Domes were set on elevated drums.

• Greek orthodox tradition dictates important parts of the mass take place behind a curtain or screen composed of icons called an iconostasis.

Saint Mark’s Cathedral 1063 c.e., Venice Italy

• Five domes placed in a cross pattern• Windows at base of dome illuminate brilliant

mosaics that cover every wall space above the first floor

• Figures are weightless in a field of gold mosaics

• Prominent iconostasis separates apse from nave

Saint Mark’s Cathedral

• Compartmentalized space of Middle Byzantine architecture, more open and spacious Hagia Sophia

• Contains relics of Saint Mark, the evangelist

Saint Basil’s Cathedral by Barma and Postnik, 1555-1561 c.e., Moscow,

Russia• Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible• Tall, slender pyramid-like central tower

crowned by small, onion-shaped dome• Central spire surrounded by eight smaller

domes of various sizes with fanciful decorative surfaces

• Low, flat, rounded arches intermix with triangular forms and tall slender window-like shallow spaces

David Composing the Psalms from the Paris Psalter, c. 950-970 c. e., tempera

on vellum• Psalter, book of Psalms from the Old

Testament• Figures aned landscape based on classlical

models• Brilliant and balanced color• Dynamic contrast between muscular bodies

and stiff draperies

David Composing the Psalms

• David is playing the harp by Melody (upper body is classical in inspiration, lower body is mideval)

• Personification of Echo (?) behind a loving cup given as a prize for best singer.

• Muscular, classically inspired figure symbolizing Mountains of Bethlehem in lower right.

• Curves dominate composition: left foot of Melody to mountain god, circle around David and Melody.

• Jewel like border frames scene.

Pantocrater, 1180-1190 mosaic, Cathedral, Monreale Sicily

• Mosaics arranged in an elaborate hierarchy: Jesus at top.• Solidity of figure: monumental scale• Sternness, severeness, awesome grandeur• Jesus at the top of a strict hierarchical program of images• Blessing gesture in his right hand, left hand holds a bible

inscribed in Latin and Greek• Image suggests combination of Jesus Christ and God the

Father.• Pointed arches suggest the beginning of the Gothic style• Largest Byzantine mosaic cycle extant, over one acre of

gold mosaic: dazzling recreation of heavenly realm on earth.

Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between saints Theodore and Gorge, icon, sixth or early seventh century. Encaustic on wood, Monastery of Saint Catherine, Mount Sinai, Egypt

Icons and Iconoclasm

• Icons used for private worship. Very few survive. The best that have survived from Mount Sinai Saint Catherine’s monastery.

• Continuing tradition of panel painting from Rome. But using traditional Byzantine style on the bodies.

• Eighth century iconoclasm stopped production and destroyed existing icons. Works from 500-726 are almost completely lost. Work began again in 843 when iconoclasm was repealed and images were reinstated.

• Iconoclasm of the Arabs destroyed many Byzantine icons in the seventh century

Andrei Rublev, Old Testament Trinity, c. 1410, tempera on wood, Tretyakov

Gallery, Moscow • Byzantine affinity of repeating forms from older art• Heads of angels nearly identical• Poses are mirror images• Luminous appeal of colors• Deep color harmonies of draperies • Extensive use of gold• Nearly spaceless background• Three Old Testament angels who appear to Abraham and

Sarah in Genesis: parallel relationship to the Christian Trinity

Saint Michael the Archangel, early6th century, ivory, British Museum, London

•Largest extant Byzantine ivory panel modeled Saint Michael on a classical Winged victory

•From a hinged diptych in Early Christian Tradition.

•Saint Michael the patron saint of Hagia Sophia.

•Image prototype has been adapted form pagan to Christian and given new meanings.

•Image made to float rather than be rooted to the ground. Classical Byzantine concern for symbols rather than reality. Spatial ambiguity.

•Imperial imagery with the orb and scepter.

Saint Michael the Archangel, early6th century, ivory, British Museum,

London

• One leaf of an ivory Diptych

• Roman coiffure, Classical drapery, facial type

• Subtle relief folds

• Delicately detailed classical architecture

• Imperial imagery in the orb and the scepter

• Saint Michael hovers in front of the arch, wings before• Columns

• Spatial ambiguity: feet placed on steps behind columns

• Body articulated beneath drapery

Harbaville Triptych, c.950, ivory, Louvre, Paris

• Individualized heads• Frontality broken up by slight turns of body• Sharp crisp lines• Very hieratic composition• Angels appear in medallions• Jewel-like delicacy of carving• Many have their hands covered, a symbol of respect in

Byzantine art• Medieval interest in labeling names of figures in works of

art• Figures are the same size, many dressed alike and

symmetrically arranged.

Vocabulary

• Cathedral Codex• Icon Iconostasis• Mosaic Pantocrator• Pendentive Psalter• Squinch Triptych

Multiple choice questions

1. All of the following are architectural innovations at the Hagia Sophia EXCEPT:

A. A circle of windows appears at the base of the dome

B. Pendentives are used to support the domeC. The ground plan is a mix of the axial and

centrally planned churchD. Frescoes cover the wall spaces

2. Fears of idolatry caused the Byzantines to

A.Stop the production of iconsB.Invade the surrounding countries they

considered heathenC.Decorate the interior of their churches with

abstract symbolsD.Turn to ivory as a principal source of carving

3. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, artistic production continued in

A.FranceB.EgyptC.RussiaD.England

4. An iconostasis was used to

A.Allow artists to paint icons in placeB.Separate the apse from the transept and the

nave of a churchC.Offer support for a squinchD.Allow light into a church

5. Characteristically, icons

A.Were handled and kissed by the faithfulB.Were used by the Byzantine emperor to deliver

messagesC.Had images of the emperor or members of his

court on themD.Symbolized Byzantium’s link to its classical past

6. This Byzantine panel shows the influence of classical art in its

A.Spatial placement of the angel on the steps and in the arch

B.Modeling of the body

C.Christian symbolism

D.Relationship of the figure to the architectural setting

7. This Byzantine panel is made of

A.terra-cotta

B.Marble

C.Limestone

D.ivory

8. Byzantine churches have artistic programs that feature Jesus as the central figure in the role of Panatocrator, meaning he is the

A.SaviorB.Son of GodC.Ruler of the worldD.Unifier of all

9. The Hagia Sophia was built under the patronage of

A.Emperor TrajanB.Emperor Justinian and Empress TheodoraC.Emperor Basil ID.Constantine the Great

10. The subject of this painting draws a parallel between

A.The Bible and Greek mythology

B.Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyessy

C.Early and Late Byzantine art

D. The Hebrew and Christian scriptures

Short essay, 10 minutes

Identify the central figure in this image. What pictorial and stylistic devices are used to communicate this person’s majesty and importance?