introduction to jewish, early christian, & byzantine art

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