Early Christian, Jewish & Byzantine Art

Early Christian, Jewish & Byzantine

Art

Map

Ancient Jewish People

Canaan

Mount Sinai & Moses

Ark of the Covenant

Temple 1

Second Temple

Christians

General Beliefs

• Jesus of Nazareth

• From 30 – 33 most influential

• Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension

• Trinity

Council of Nicaea

Gospels

Constantine

After 313

• Archbishops & “sees”• Western Church – Rome• Eastern Church – Constantinople• Jerusalem, Alexandria, & Antioch

• To 1054 all united

Muslims

Jewish and Early Christian Art

Early Jewish Art

Orants

Good Shepherd

Good Shepard, Orants, Story of Jonah, 4th Century, Early

Christian

loculi

Cubiculum of the Catacomb of Via Dino Compagni

Good Shepherd

Detail of a central medallion

Detail with Jonah

Orants

Sculpture

Jonah Swallowed and Jonah Cast Up, 3rd century, Early Christian

Early Christian Architecture

Dura-Europa

Early Christian House-Church

Roman Basilica

Imperial Christian Architecture and

Art

Important Facts

• 313 – Edict of Milan

• 324 – Consolidation of Empire and big building program

• 404 – Vulgate Bible

Two Church Plans

Basilica Plan Church

Old St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, c.320-27

Floor plan

Outside details

Church of Santa Sabina, Rome, 422-32

Central Plan Churches

Santa Constanza, Rome, 1256

Harvesting of Grapes

Detail

Sculpture

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c.359, Early Christian or

Beautiful Style

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

Detail – Christ Giving the Law

Detail – Christ entering Jerusalem

Detail

Byzantine Art

Byzantine Periods

• Early Byzantine Period – associated with Justinian I

• Middle Byzantine Period – worship of icons accepted again

• Late Byzantine Period – 1261-1453

Map of the City

Early Byzantine Art

Visigoths and Vandels invading

Emperor Justinian and his wife Empress Theodora

Map of Justinian’s Empire

Anthemius and Isidorus, Hagia Sophia, 532-537,

Byzantine

Hagia Sophia

Pendentives

Interior

Interior

Empress Logia

Ravenna

Church of San Vitale

Floor plan

Interior

Squinches

Interior

Mosaics

Emperor Justinian and His Attendants, c.547,

Byzantine

Empress Theodora and her retinue

Ivories & Manuscripts

Archangel Michael, Early 6th century, Byzantine

Comparison

Manuscripts – key ideas

• Scriptorium

• Manuscripts

• Codex

• Vellum/Parchment

Clay & Wax Tablets

Papyrus

Parchment Making

Scrolls

Codex

Illuminated Manuscripts

Covers

Types of Manuscripts

Rebecca at the Well, Early 6th Century, Byzantine

Middle Byzantine Art

Iconoclast Controversy

• Iconoclasts – against icons (“breaking icons”)

• Iconophiles – for icons

• Seventh Ecumenical Council

Map

Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056)

Virgin of Vladimir, 12th century, Byzantine

Christ Pantocrater, c.1080-1100, Byzantine

Archangel Michael, 11th century, Byzantine

Archangel Michael, 11th century, Byzantine

Manuscripts during the Middle

Byzantine Period

David the Psalmist, Paris Psalter, 10th century,

Byzantine

Joshua Roll, c.950, Byzantine

Late Byzantine Art

• 1261-1453

• New style in art – church liturgy important

• Use of trompe l’oeil in the churches

Anastasis, c. 1315-21, Byzantine