introduction to jewish, early christian, & byzantine art
TRANSCRIPT
JEWISH, EARLY CHRISTIAN, & BYZANTINE ART
Art History Survey, T, R, 12-1:20PM, P327, Professor Paige Prater
THREE MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS/BOOKS Judaism – Hebrew Scriptures, Torah Christianity – Hebrew Scriptures (Old
Testament) + New Testament = Bible Islam – Q’uran (Arabic)
MAP OF CHRISTIAN SPREAD
MAP OF ISLAMIC SPREAD
TIMELINE
Destruction of Jerusalem -70 CE Early Christian (100-6th century CE)
Imperial Christian (313-476CE) Council of Nicaea – 325 CE
Early Byzantine (5th century – 726 CE) End of Western Roman Empire – 476CE Iconoclastic Controversy 726-843CE
Middle Byzantine (843-1204 CE) Catholic vs. Orthodox 1054 CE Crusades begin 1095 CE
Late Byzantine (1261-1453CE) Fall of Constantinople to Turks 1453 CE
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, 70 CE Arch of Titus, 81 CE
EARLY JEWISH ART
Synagogue at Dura Europos, Syria, 250CE
EARLY JEWISH ART – DURA EUROPOS
The Finding of the Baby Moses (244-45 CE)
JEWISH CATACOMB – VILLA TORLONIA, ROME
Menorahs and Ark of the Covenant, 3rd century
EARLY JEWISH ART
Synagogue floor mosaic, Maon (ancient Menois) c. 530 CE
EARLY CHRISTIAN ART - SYMBOLS
Good Shepherd Icthus (fish) Chi Rho Alpha and Omega Gospels (first 4 books in New Testament)
Matthew = man or angel Mark = Lion Luke = Ox John = Eagle
Crosses Latin, Greek, Tau, & St. Peter’s
SYMBOLS: GOOD SHEPHERD
Good Shepherd, Orants, and Story of Jonah, Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, late 3rd-early 4th century
Lunettes Medallion Syncretism Typology
SYMBOLS: CHI RHO, ICTHUS, & ALPHA & OMEGA
Detail from Theodorus’ sarcophagus, 5th century, Ravenna
SYMBOLS: GOSPELS (WRITTEN 65-95CE)
Carolingian illuminated manuscript, 9th century CE
SYMBOLS: CROSSES
Latin Greek Tau St.
Peter’s
BASILICA PLAN CHURCH
OLD ST. PETER’S BASILICA (4TH CENTURY)
SANTA SABINA, C. 422-432 Bishop Peter of Ilyria Brick/marble veneer 24 Corinthian columns:
spolia!
View from south aisle near the sanctuary to the entrance
SANTA SABINA – DOOR PANEL (420S CE) The Ascension of Elijah Cypress wood
CENTRAL PLAN CHURCH
Atrium Narthex Apse Dome
CENTRAL PLAN CHURCH: SANTA COSTANZA, ROME, C. 350 CE
SANTA COSTANZA, ROME, 350 CE Harvesting of Grapes, ambulatory
vault; double allusion
RAVENNA
395 – Emperor Theodosius I : eastern & western Roman empire (split between his sons) Honorius (395-423 CE) – Milan > Ravenna
-Direct access by sea to Contantinople Galla Placidia, sister; regent 425-440 CE
(West) 476 CE – Italy fell to the Ostrogoths;
Ravenna became headquarters
MAUSOLEUM OF GALLA PLACIDIA – RAVENNA, 425-426 CE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvnr0wnmoGY
Good Shepherd – Lunette over entrance
MAUSOLEUM OF GALLA PLACIDIA – RAVENNA, 425-426 CE
Cruciform plan; pendentive dome (vs squinches)
St. LawrencePatron saint of Bakers
EARLY CHRISTIAN SCULPTURE
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c. 359 CE, Marble
EARLY BYZANTINE: FIRST GOLDEN AGE
5th century-726 CE (iconoclasm) Art of Constantinople Emperor Justinian 527-565 CE
CONTSTANTINOPLE: WALLS, 412-413CE Moat & double walls with huge towers 4 mi 180’ deep
CONSTANTINOPLE: HAGIA SOPHIA, 532-537 CE
Justinian & Theodora - 532 CE
Anthemius of Tralles – geometry/ optics
Isidorus of Miletus -physics
CONSTANTINOPLE: HAGIA SOPHIA
Pendentives vs squinches
CONSTANTINOPLE: HAGIA SOPHIA
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA
476 CE – Arian Christian Ostrogoths conquer the Romans
526 CE – Bishop Ecclesius commissions 2 new churches- San Vitale in Ravenna and one in port Classis
540 CE – Byzantine forces conquer Ravenna Well-preserved monuments! San Vitale not finished until AFTER Justinian
conquered Ravenna
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA
Central-domed octagon
Offset narthex
Dome: mortared, interlocking ceramic tubes
squinches
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA
Gold tesserae Mossics in
apses
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA
Christ Enthroned, 547 CE. Half-dome of sanctuary apse.
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA Justinian and Theodora did NOT attend the
dedication; may never have been there at all!
Emperor Justinian and his attendants, North wall of the apse.
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA “Purple makes a fine shroud” -
Theodora
Empress Theodora and her attendants, South wall of the apse.
CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA
Abel and Melchizedek, South wall lunette. TYPOLOGY!!!
SANT’APOLLINAIRE IN CLASSE
Mosaics above apse added in 7th-9th century
ARCHANGEL MICHAEL DIPTYCH – EARLY 6TH CENTURY
Two carved, hinged panels
“Receive these gifts, and having learned the cause…”
BOOKS: VIENNA GENESIS, EARLY 6TH CENTURY
Murex mollusks – imperial use
Rebecca at the Well. The Vienna Genesis, early 6th century. Tempera, gold, and silver paint on purple dyed vellum, 13 ½ x 9 7/8”.
KEY BYZANTINE EMPERORS
527-565 - Justinian I: First Byzantine Emperor
717-741 – Leo III: ICONOCLASM in 726 867-886 – Basil I: initiates Macedonian
dynasty 1259-1282 – Michael VIII
Palaeologus: retakes Constantinople from Crusaders in 1261
1449-1453 – Last Byzantine Emperor: Constantine XI Palaeologus
BOOKS: RABBULA GOSPELS, 586, SYRIA Crucifixion &
Resurrection Signed by
monk, Rabbula
Monastery of St. John the Evangelist in Beth Zagba, Feb 586 CE
RABBULA GOSPELS, 586, SYRIA
Ascension Ezekiel 1 Mandorla Theotokos
(God-bearer/Church
ICONS & ICONOCLASM Greek word eikon, meaning
“image” Eastern Orthodox:
iconostasis (screen); prayed while looking at images (ICONS)- miraculous powers
Idolatry vs veneration: Basil the Great of Cappadocia (329-379) and John of Damascus (675-749)
726 CE: Emperor Leo III – ICONOCLASM “image breaking”
843 CE: Empress Theodora, widow of Theophilus, reversed the policy
Virgin and Child with Saints & Angels. 2nd half of 6th century, encaustic on wood, 27 x 18 7/8”
MULTIPLE DOME CHURCH PLANS
Naos – central core
Quincunx – cross-in-square
CATHEDRAL OF SANTA SOPHIA, KIEV, 1037-1046 CE
Eastern Slavs>Scandinavian Vikings (Byzantine bodyguards!)>Kiev=capital
Eastern Orthodox Large Central Dome + 12
smaller domes
MONASTERY CHURCHES AT HOSIO LOUKAS, GREECE: 10-11TH CENTURIES
Middle Byzantine Alternating
courses of brick & stone (vertical AND horizontal)
CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARK, VENICE, 1063 BEGUN
Venice: important Byzantine trade center
Greek cross plan 5 great
domes/barrel vaults/pendentives
HARBAVILLE TRIPTYCH, MID-11TH CENTURY, IVORY.
http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/harbaville-triptych
Deesis – “entreaty”
PALERMO: PALATINE CHAPEL, MID-12TH CENTURY
Sicily: a mix of cultures Greek colony Roman empire Ruled by Muslims
from 827-end of 11th century
Normans took over 1130-1154 –
Norman King Roger Religious toleration
• Western basilica plan with Byzantine dome on squinches
• Christ at PANTOKRATOR
PALERMO: KING ROGER’S CHAMBER
Byzantine domestic architecture
FUNERARY CHAPEL, CHURCH OF THE MONASTERY OF CHRIST 1310-1321 CE
Now the Kariye Camii Museum in Istanbul
1316-1321 – sponsor Theodore Metochites expanded it
Late Byzantine
ANASTASIS, CHURCH OF THE MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN CHORA
Adam & Eve
Star-studded mandorla
THE OLD TESTAMENT TRINITY, ANDREY RUBLYOV, ICON, 1410-1425, TEMPERA ON PANEL
Representation of the Trinity
Artist-monk Commissioned for
abbot Sergius of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, near Moscow.
Ideal geometry – Late Byzantine