Byzantine
Empire 330- 1453 A.D.
It started in 330 A.D when Roman Emperor Constantine I chose
“Byzantium” (Greek site as new Roman capital and gave it name “Constantinople”.
Constantine 5 years earlier declared Christianity as the official religion of Rome;
citizens of Constantine were Christians whereas Eastern Roman Empire identified
them as Romans. (Slide 1)
slide 1
Byzantine Empire is divided into three periods
1. Early
Byzantine 324 AD- 726 AD
2. Middle
Byzantine 843 AD- 1204 AD
3. Late
Byzantine 1261- 1453 AD
Early
Byzantine 324 AD- 726
AD
This period starts with the founding of Constantinople in 324
and ends with the destruction of images used in religious worship (iconoclasm)
under Leo III in 726 AD.
Middle
Byzantine 843 AD-
1204 AD
It begins with the rejection of iconoclasm and ends with
Western crusaders occupation of Constantinople.
Late
Byzantine 1261-1453
This period corresponds to the two centuries
i.
After the Byzantine recaptured Constantinople 1261
ii.
Final loss in 1453 to the Ottoman Turks- conversion of churches
to mosques
Early Byzantine period is also called as “Golden Age” of
early Byzantine art. It started with the succession of Justinian in 537.
(Justinian was a Byzantine Emperor from 527-565 A.D.)
Some of the important artworks survive before Justinian’s
reign especially ivories and illuminated manuscripts. Before Justinian
Archangel Michael was a master craver, he produced largest Byzantine ivory
panel. This panel depicts Saint Michael the Archangel. (slide 2)
The inscription on the top of the panel means “receive these
gifts”
Characteristics
which reveal Roman influences
·
Flowing and detailed drapery
·
Incised (engraved) wings Facial expressions
·
Byzantine sculptors did not focus on natural
representation.
·
In this panel one can see that the figure is of same
size as of the arch. Michael’s foot lies on three steps at a time.
·
His lower body
in-front of the base of the column and his arms on the top end of the column.
·
Three dimensional qualities were also not present.
This figure is engraved and carved into the panel.
Another example which survived before Justinian period was an
illustration from a manuscript (slide 3)
Anicia
Juliana between Magnanimity and Prudence, folio 6, Vienna Dioskorides, ca. 512
Vienna Dioskorides was the earliest surviving manuscript. It
was an encyclopedia of medicinal herbs called De Materia Medica early 6th century copy. This book has
498 illustrations- all images of plants. These illustrations were different
from Byzantine paintings and mosaics of religious subjects.
This illustration features a portrait of Anicia Juliana in an
eight point star and circle frame. Anicia is shown enthroned between
personifications of Magnanimity and Prudence, with a kneeing figure labeled
Gratitude of the Arts at her feet. The princess holds a book in her left hand,
probably this “De Materia Medica”
Justinian
Period 527-565 (Byzantine’s Golden Age)
Christianity became the official religion of Constantinople
but Justinian was the one who proclaimed that Christianity should only be the
lawful religion, also called as Orthodox
Christianity.
Orthodox
Christianity means Trinity, Father, Son and Hole Spirit. Equality.
Example 1: Barberini
Ivory
Justinian art was both religious and secular. This was a
political subject matter panel. It was carved in five parts. In the center is
the emperor, identified as Justinian, riding on a horse, while a barbarian is
shown half hidden behind the Justinian. Dynamic twisting posture of horse and rider and the motif of the spear-
show influence of Roman Imperial works.
At the bottom of the panel a rectangular piece shows people
giving tribute. Behind them are animals are shows lion, elephant, tiger. These
animals are mainly found in Africa and Asia and these were the sites of
Justinian conquest.
On the left rectangular piece Roman soldier carries a
statuette. The source of emperor’s strength comes from the upper piece where
two angels are shown and in the center Christ is shown holding a cross in one
hand and with his right hand’s gesture it shows that as if he is approving
Justinian’s act.
Another of Justinian’s great masterpiece was “Hagia Sophia”. He was an ambitious
builder. In Constantinople he restored or built more than 30 churches. His
monuments defined the Byzantine style in architecture forever. (slide 4)
Hagia Sophia is also known as “Church of the Holy Wisdom”. It
was designed and built by Miletus, who
was a mathematician and a physicist. It
was built between 532 and 537. It was built immediately after fire destroyed an
earlier church on the site during the Nika
riot in January 532.
(Nika riot was a revolt that happened in eastern Roman Empire
again Justinian’s empire)
·
Hagia Sophia is 270 ft long 240 ft wide
·
Dome is 108 ft Diameter
·
Crown rises from pavement 180 ft
·
First dome collapsed in 558 and was repaired in 9th
and 14th century
·
Building’s external structure is changed from their
original appearance, numerous elements were added
·
Buttresses were added later during the Ottoman reign
·
when Hagia Sophia became a mosque Turks built four minarets at the corner
·
Building is now a museum
Feature which differentiates Hagia Sophia from Pantheon is
the special mystical quality the light flooding the interior. The 40 windows at
the base of the dome are the source of light in the building and create a
magical effect.
Byzantine Architecture’s important feature was building of
dome on Pendentives and Squinches method.
Pendentives and Squinches (Slide 5-6)
Manuscripts and Icon Painting
Manuscript painting was an important art form during the
Early Byzantine era. This period marked the beginning of icon painting during Byzantine period.
Example 1: Ascension
of Christ from Rabbula Gospels (Slide 7)
Background story: Christ rose from the tomb after 3 days and
on the 40th day, ascended from the Mount of Olives to Heaven. The Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension are
all subjects of full page painting.
In this illustration Ascension of Christ is depicted
surrounded by a mandorla. Below Mary and various apostles can be seen. Just
below Christ, Theotokos is painted gazing towards viewers
(Theokotos title for Mary, mother of Jesus)
Christ does not rise in a cloud instead he ascends in a
mandorla above a fiery winged chariot. The chariot carries the symbols of the
four evangelists- the man, lion, ox and eagle.
Icons and
Iconoclasm
Gospel books played an important role in monastic religious
life. Unfortunately few early icons survive.
Why?
Icons are small portable paintings depicting Christ, the Virgin,
saints. Icons survive from as early as 4th century. From the 6th
century on they became enormously popular in Byzantine worship both public and
private. Some icons were believed as “healing powers”.
Icons were not accepted universally. Some of the Christian
parties were suspicious of the practice of imaging the divine, whether on
portable panels, on the walls of the churches etc.
Iconoclasm
Opposition to icons became strong in the 8th
century when the faithful knelt before the icons in prayer to seek protection
or a cure for illness.
Example of
Icons
Virgin and
Child between Saints Theodore and George- 6th –early 7th
c (slide 8)
Middle
Byzantine
In the late 8th, 9th century, a reaction
against “iconoclasm” spread. Saint John of Damascus (675-749) was the one who
raised voice and argued that God made an image of himself in his son Jesus and
in humankind. Thus icons were the likeness of hole figures and not making them
means opposing God’s actions.
During this time period Macedonian Dynasty took the
responsibility of reviving icon making from Early Byzantine art. Basil I was the head of new dynasty, who
regarded himself as the restorer of the Roman Empire. Because of Iconoclasm Byzantine artists moved
towards West and they found employment at the courts of Germanic Kings and
influenced Western European art. But when icon making got support Byzantine
mural painters, mosaics, book illustrators, ivory carvers, metal workers once
again received commissions. Basil I and his successors also undertook the
repair of churches which iconoclasts defaced.
Example 1: Virgin and Child enthroned, apse mosaic,
Hagia Sophia, 867
Macedonian dynasty dedicated a new mosaic in Hagia Sophia
depicting the enthroned Virgin with the Christ child in her lap. This figure is
16 ft tall. There is an inscription now fragmentary means “pious emperors”
referring to the Macedonian. This was commissioned to replace the “imposters”
the iconoclasts had destroyed.
Some other mosaic paintings include
Example 2:
Christ as Pantokrator, dome mosaic in the church of the Dormition, Daphni,
Greece, 1090-1100
This mosaic was restored in the 19th century. Pantokrator
means “ruler of all” in Greek but in Christianity it was referred to Christ.
Here the portrait was made on the inner side of Rome. The image was painted on
the top to show a connection between man and the heaven. (slide 9)
Another mosaic example found on the east wall of south
gallery of Hagia Sophia was about the 11th c Byzantine empress Zoe
Porphyrogenita. (slide 10)
In this example portrait of Zoe and her husband flanked the
enthroned Christ. The emperor holds a purse, signifying the generous donation
Constantine made to the church. Zoe holds a scroll also a reference to her
gifts to the church. Inscription next to the portraits describe Constantine as
“pious emperor and King of the Romans” and Zoe as “pious empress”
Middle Byzantine artists also produced carved ivories in
large numbers. Triptych was much in fashion rather than diptych.
Example 3:
Harbvilee Triptych: Christ enthroned with saints ca. 950, Ivory
It was used for private devotion. Three part shrine with
looser classical stances, in contrast to the Byzantine style.
One of the famous wall paintings
from that time period was “Lamentation” It is an image of passionate grief over the dead Christ. The artist
captured Christ followers in attitudes, expressions and gestures of quite human
bereavement. Joseph of Arimathea and the disciple Nikodemus kneel at his feet. Mary
presses her cheek against her dead son’s face. Saint John clings to Christ’s
left hand. Neither John nor Mary was present at the entombment of Christ.
Example 4: Vladimir Virgin. Late 11th c or early 12th
c. tempera on wood
It was the most renowned Middle
Byzantine icon produced in Russia. Unfortunately
the revered image has been repainted many times, and only traces of the
original surface remain. It clearly reveals the stylized abstraction resulting
from centuries of working and reworking the devotional image. Probably the work
of a painter from Constantinople, The Vladimir Virgin displays all
characteristics of the Byzantine icon of the Virgin and Child. Russians
believed that the sacred picture saved the city of Kazan from the later Tartar
invasions.
Late Byzantine Art
During the 14th and 15th
century, artists throughout the Byzantine world produced masterpieces of mural
and icon painting rivaling those of the earlier periods.
Example 1: Anastasis, fresco in the apse of the parakklesion of the
Church of Christ in Chora, 1310-1320 ca. (slide 11)
A fresco of the Anastasis (side
chapel in this instance a funerary chapel) of the Church of Christ in Chora in
Constantinople.
Anastasis is here central to a
cycle of pictures portraying the themes of human morality. Christ raises Adam
and Eve from their tombs. Looking on are John the Baptist, King David and King
Solomon on the left and various martyr saints on the right. The figures float
in a spiritual atmosphere, space less and without material mass or shadow
casting volume.
Another example notable for the
lavish use of finely etched silver foil to frame the painted figure of Christ
as Savior of Souls dates to the beginning of the 14th century. It
comes from the church of Saint Clement at Ohrid in Macedonia, where many Late
Byzantine icons imported from the capital have been preserved.
Example 2: Christ as Savior of Souls, icon from Saint Clement, Ohrid,
Macedonia, early 14th c, Tempera, linen and silver on wood