Byzantine Flashcards
Early Byzantine Period
Founding of Constantinople in 324
to Iconoclasm in 726
iconoclasm
The destruction of images used in religious worship
Middle Byzantine Period
Renunciation of iconoclasm in
843 to western crusaders’ occupation of Constantinople in 1204
Late Byzantine Period
Recapture of Constantinople in 1261
defeat to the Ottoman Turks in 1453
Justinian
established Christianity as the ONLY lawful religion of the Romans.
Theodosius
established Christianity as the official religion of the Romans.
Archangel Michael
The sculptor who carved this unusually large Byzantine ivory panel modeled the Michael on a classical winged Victory, but the archangel seems to float in front of the architecture rather than stand in it.
Justinian as world conqueror (Barberini Ivory)
Justinian rides a rearing horse accompanied by personifications of Victory and Earth. Christ blesses the emperor.
Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus, aerial view of Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s reign was the first golden age of Byzantine art and architecture. Hagia Sophia was the most magnificent of the more than 30 churches Justinian built or restored in Constantinople alone.
Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus, plan of Hagia Sophia, Constantinople
In Hagia Sophia, Justinian’s architects succeeded in fusing two previously independent architectural traditions: the vertically oriented central-plan building and the longitudinally oriented basilica.
Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus, restored cutaway view of Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a domed basilica. Buttressing the great dome are eastern and western half-domes whose thrusts descend, in turn, into smaller half-domes surmounting columned exedrae.
Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus, interior of Hagia Sophia
Pendentive construction made possible Hagia Sophia’s lofty dome, which seems to ride on a halo of light. A contemporary said that the dome seemed to be suspended by “a golden chain from Heaven.”
has 40 windows
bigger than pantheon
not built with concrete
Left: dome on pendentives; right: dome on squinches (John Burge).
Pendentives (triangular sections of a sphere) make it possible to place a dome on a ring over a square.
Squinches achieve the same goal by bridging the corners of the square to form an octagonal base.
San Vitale
not as gran as Hagia Sophia
Supported by arches and columns
marble and brick
octogonal shape
Interior of San Vitale
covered in mosaics and marble
Choir and apse of San Vitale (looking east) with mosaic of Christ between two angels
a youthful Christ, seated on the orb of the world at the time of his second coming, extends the gold martyr’s wreath to Saint Vitalis. Bishop Ecclesius offers Christ a model of San Vitale.
Justinian, Bishop Maximianus, and attendants, mosaic on the north wall of the apse, San Vitale
Justinian is foremost among the weightless and speechless frontal figures hovering before the viewer, their positions in space uncertain.
no background just gold
Byzantine clown feet
Theodora and attendants, mosaic on the south wall of the apse, San Vitale
carrying wine
has a background
is in the church
Saint Apollinaris amid sheep, apse mosaic, Sant’Apollinare in Classe
Transfiguration of Christ
Jesus takes disciples to mountains and announces he is the son of God, is shown not as human but as his holy self
God’s hand coming from above
artist swept away all traces of landscape for a depthless field of gold. The figures cast no shadows even though bathed in divine light.
Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, folio 7 recto of the Vienna Genesis, early sixth century. Tempera, gold, and silver on purple vellum
This luxurious dyed vellum book is the oldest well-preserved manuscript containing biblical scenes. Two episodes of the Rebecca story appear in a single setting filled with classical motifs.
Story of Jacob, Vienna Genesis, early sixth century.
Ascension of Christ, folio 13 verso of the Rabbula Gospels
The Gospels do not mention the Virgin as witness to Christ’s ascension. Her prominent position in the Rabbula Gospels is an early example of the important role that Mary played in medieval art.
Crucifixion and Resurrection, Rabbula Gospels, 586.
Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George, icon
Byzantine icons are the heirs to the Roman tradition of portrait painting on small wood panels, but their Christian subjects and their use as devotional objects broke sharply from classical models.
Christ blessing, Mount Sinai, sixth century.
hand up in blessing
holding the book of life (who can get into Heaven)
