Christian, Byzantine Flashcards
Tessera / Tesserae
- Attempted to show 3D scenes
-
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
- Nave
- Collonade
- Clerestory level
- Mosaic decoration
The parting of Abraham and Lot
nave of Santa Maria Maggiore (first church dedicated to Virgin Mary)
Rome, Italy
Mosaic, 3’4” high.
Formal qualities:
- High, away from ground
- Had to be simple to understand. Simple composition, minimal details in landscape.
- Expressive eyes, gestures
- Attempt to capture light and shadow, esp. in drapery
- Attempted 3D
- Perspective via head-cluster
- Intuitive Perspective: no system, general attempt
Departing of Christians and Jews
San Vitale
Ravenna
- Commissioned by bishop
- Emperor wanted to show that he was present, though he never visited
- Two concentric octagons
- Central plan (circular)
- Thick, large piers supporting dome
- Exedrae
- Ambulatory
- Veined marble, mosaic, decorated
- *Dematerialization**
- Wanted to appear visually impossible
Exedra / Exedrae
Ambulatory
For walking
Dematerialization
- Loss of visual structure
- Visually confusing
Mosaic at San Vitale
Etherial, more royal and archaic robes
Not part of a narrative
Emphasis on spiritual experience, which unifies with the effort to dematerialization within the buidling
Emperor and entourage
Justinian holding bowl
Carrying body/blood of Christ to altar
Propaganda - proxies for emperor and empress
Emphasize chi ro symbol
Purple emperial robe
Refers to halo
Feels flat - straight robe folds, raising from feet, flat gold background
Theodora carrying chalise
Carrying body/blood of Christ to altar
Propaganda - proxies for emperor and empress
Purple emperial robe
Refers to halo
Feels flat - straight robe folds, raising from feet, flat gold background
Canopy over-head, curtained door to symbolize moving from one space to another. Even though she was and empress, women were not allowed in the same spaces as men inside churches.
Qualities of byzantine figures
Tall and slender
Highly decorated
Flat feeling
Large eyes, frontal gaze, tiny nose and mouth
Emphasis on clothing
Weightless and hovering feeling
Virgin of Vladamir
Icon
People thought that this was a step back
Iconoclasm: There was a backlash to destroy icons
Full byzantine style
Abstracted body to suggest unworldly liason
Lines suggesting folds in tunic
Gold background
Large eyes, minimized nose and mouth
Iconoclasm
By attempting to create an image of the divine, there was a fear that worshipers would instead focus on the image.
726 - 843 ce
Colossus of Constantine
Basilica Nova
- Wooden Torso with broze veneer
- Marble areas
- 8’ tall head
- To assert his power
Basilica Nova
- Groin vaults and barrel vaults
- Nave
- Clerestory level
- Viewers do not see Constantine statue right away
Constantine
LATE EMPIRE
- Restored one-man rule
- Legalizes Christianity
- Moves seat of empire to Constantinople. This moved power east.
- Baptised before he dies
Old Saint Peter’s
Rome, Italy
- Influenced by Paegan buildings of old Rome
- Utilized Basilican plan with naves, apses
- Latin cross plan
Remains of St. Peter kept there.
3000-4000 occupants
Supports traffic flow
Wide central nave flanked by aisles, arches supported by columns, nave arcade.
Wooden timber roof
Transcept
Schematic plan for a monastery at Saint Gall
Switzerland
Austerity, organization, self discipline
Clustering - right side for monks, other side for peace and meditation
Organization to counteract decadence of clergy
