Early Christian, Jewish, and Byzantine Art

1. Early Christian, Jewish, and Byzantine Art

2. Dream of Constantine Piero della Francesca fresco cycle The Legend of the True Cross Bacci Chapel, Church of San Francesco, Arezzo1454-1458 According to tradition, Constantine had a vision the night before the battle in which he saw a flaming cross in the sky and heard these words: “In this sign you shall conquer.” XP—Chi Ro—Christos The Edict of Milan 313 CE 330 CE dedication of Byzantium –called Constantinople

3. The Arch of Constantine 312-315 CE This arch was built to commemorate Emperor Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE.

4. A relief panel from the Arch of Constantine taken from a monument celebrating the victory of Marcus Aurelius over the Germans in 174 CE.

5. A relief panel from the Arch of Constantine.

6. A relief panel from the Arch of Constantine. Do these two panels seem primitive? What is being privileged?

7. Stokstad writes, “This two-dimensional, hierarchical approach and abstract style are far removed from the realism of earlier imperial reliefs. This style, with its emphasis on authority, ritual, and symbolic meaning rather than outward form, was adopted by the emerging Christian Church” (283). What do we mean by two-dimensional? What do we mean by hierarchical approach? What do we mean by abstract style? What do we mean by symbolic meaning?

8. Judaism Christianity Islam How are these three religions different? see pages 290-291

9. Big Ideas • syncretism: artists assimilate images from other traditions, giving them new meanings • iconoclasm: 726 Emperor Leo III launched a campaign of iconoclasm (image breaking), decreeing that all religious images were idols and should be destroyed • icons: often were believed to have been created miraculously and all were thought to have magical protective and healing powers • typological exegesis: Old Testament themes illuminate events in the New Testament; for example, Abraham and Isaac predicts the sacrifice of Christ, Jonah and the whale predicts the resurrection on the third day

10. Big Ideas Christian Symbols (see page 294 in Stokstad) the dove the fish the lamb the symbols for the four evangelists: Matthew- a man or angel Mark- a lion Luke- an ox John – an eagle Alpha/Omega (IX) chi rho

11. Big Ideas: Christian Symbols--crosses

12. Hinton St. Mary Mosaic central panel of a Roman mosaic found at Hinton St Mary (Dorset, England) http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/VfupdXVjTM6crACGDU-6uA

13. Christ Catacomb of Commodilla late 4th century

14. Good Shepherdc. 425-426mosaic in the lunette over the west entrance, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

15. Baptism of ChristBaptistery of the Orthodox, Ravenna, Italy early 5th century

17. Mosaic from the Church of San Vitale, 526-547

19. Christ Pantokratormosaic in the central dome Church of the DormitionDaphni, GreeceCentral Domec. 1080-1100

20. Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/XsjCBZguRku8XhN8icN3GA

21. Reconstruction drawing of Old Saint Peter’s basilica, Rome 320-327 CE

22. Reconstruction drawing of Old Saint Peter’s basilica, Rome 320-327 CE

23. Hagia Sophia532-537 YouTube Video: R. Steves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zxRjx4Z5uU&edufilter=-UYcvQGRLktRabtXL3Eq1w

24. Hagia Sophia532-537

25. Hagia Sophia532-537

26. Baptistery of the Orthodox, Ravenna early 5th century

27. Baptistery of the Orthodox, Ravenna early 5th century

28. Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy 526-547 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It3i-dKusIM&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654&index=32

29. Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy 526-547

30. Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy 526-547

31. Authorizing power through Christianity and Christ. What do this images from the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, argue?

32. Emperor Justinian and His Attendants c. 547 mosaic on the north wall of the apse, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna Italy

33. What do we learn about reverse perspective from this images in the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna? reverse perspective: parallel lines appear to diverge instead of converge The Byzantines did not conceive of pictorial space the way the Romans had—as a view of the natural world seen through a “window.” In the Byzantine aesthetic theory, invisible rays of sight joined the eye and image so that the pictorial space extended forward from the picture plane to the eye of the beholder and included the real space between them.

34. Empress Theodora and Her Attendants c. 547 mosaic on the south wall of the apse, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna Italy

35. Michelangelo reconstruction of the interior of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican 1480s

36. St. Marks Cathedralc. 1063-1073

37. St. Marks Cathedralc. 1063-1073

38. St. Marks Cathedralc. 1063-1073

39. St. Marks Cathedralc. 1063-1073

40. Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy, c. 533-49 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjwELgIh_qc&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654&index=43 Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, marble, 359 C.E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjX4ExCixWY&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654&index=25 Byzantine Panel with Archangel, c. 525-50 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7J0WQsajX8&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654&index=4