04.06.09 Byzantine - Early Byzantine Art
CONSTANTINOPLE = BYZANTIUM = ISTANBUL:
THEOCRACY:
PENDENTIVES or SQUINCHES: are the big triangles that curve to support the dome
JUSTINIAN AS WORLD CONQUEROR, MID 6TH: Byzantine - Early Byzantine Art
 Justinian – came from humble family – he was a soldier – strange series of events is how he became emperor
 He conducted a series of wars – he wanted to restore the roman empire to its original extent
 Made out of ivory (elephant tusks) – very luxurious and expensive
 13” x 10” – originally was like a book cover you can tell where there used to be hinges
 Every inch is covered with detail
 Man behind the spear is dressed as a barbarian and he is now touching the spear
 Below is a woman figure – she resembles fruit and abundance maybe the earth – she is touching Justinian’s foot
 To the side is a soldier – hold a statue of victory
 Along the bottom – group of figures that represent different groups from around the world – there are animals - they are all
bringing gifts
 There are winged figures – representing the idea of victory
 Everyone shown is submissive to him
 The only Christian part – directly above Justinian’s head is a figure that is supposed to represent Christ = making a gesture of
blessing
HAGIA SOPHIA BY ANTHEMIUS OF TRALLES AND ISIDOROUS OF MILETUS: Byzantine - Early Byzantine Art
 HAGIA SOPHIA = church of holy wisdom
 This is the second Hagia Sophia ever built – the first one burned down because of riots – it is thought that the old one is
underneath this new one
 This is a statement of Justinian’s power
 This later was converted into a Muslim mask – and currently it is a museum
 The towers on the corners were added later
 In the center is the dome and then along the sides are smaller domes – this is the main body of the church
 Where the clear glass is along the bottom – there used to be colored glass which made the dome look as though it were
floating
 This dome is very light weight – made of bricks that have been mortared together = not very stable – has been repaired
numerous times
 This is a round dome over a square building – very different from the Pantheon
 Supported using pendentives
 Hard to figure how this was used during Justinian’s time because it was turned into a mask – they tried to destroy any
Christian images – but we have descriptions that say there was originally very ornate designs here
SAN VITALE, RAVENNA: Byzantine - Early Byzantine Art
 After Ravenna was conquered he sent men to build this church
 He didn’t build government buildings he built churches
 San Vitale = Saint Vitales – the two Vitales sons were supposedly killed here – made the church seem more holy
 From the outside this church is very plain – the focus is on the interior space – spiritual realm
 There are stairs that lead to a second story where there is a gallery
 Over time they have lost a little bit of the decoration
 Originally every inch of the interior was made of either marble or mosaic
 The alter has windows around it – windows are made of alabaster
 Above the alter there is a dome – which will symbolize heaven – that has mosaics on it
 In the center of the mosaic there is a lamb with angels surrounding - underneath that there is a half dome with a mosaic in it five characters – the second coming of Christ – based on prediction I n the bible – the book of revelations
 For the center figure is the depiction of Christ’s he is on a dome of heaven and there are four rivers flowing from him – the
angels on the sides are introducing people into heaven and the people who are being introduced into heaven – one is saint
Vitale (depicted here he is hiding his hands)
 The other figure at the other end – is the bishop who started building this church - he is trying to present something to Christ –
it is the church
SAN VITALE, RAVENNA – APSE MOSIACS – CHRIST BETWEEN TWO ANGELS (JUSTINIAN AND ATTENDANTS): Byzantine Early Byzantine Art
 This row of figures stare right out at us – there feet are really odd – this is a procession – these are the members of the clergy
 Then Justinian and his government followers and then the soldiers
 Justinian’s feet are depicted as standing atop the person next to him – the faces are really detailed though
 The only one who gets a label is the bishop - but we can identify who the rest of the figures are – Justinian is depicted here
with a Halo
 He has a huge crown and a purple cloche – represents power - he is holding something (an offering a bowl for the bread )
 The shield of the soldier – and X and a P – the first two letters when you write Christ
 Background is just gold
SAN VITALE, RAVENNA – APSE MOSIACS – CHRIST BETWEEN TWO ANGELS (THEODORE AND ATTENDANTS): Byzantine –
Early Byzantine Art
 This is Justinian’s wife – Theodora – when she traveled she took 4,000 attendants with her and some of them are depicted
here
 She is framed by some sort of Niche in the background
 She is depicted here with a halo
 She has a crown here – she is offering a gift – the chalice to hold the wine
 She is dressed in purple and she has three kings along the bottom of her robe that are bringing gifts
 The background seems to be some sort of particular space – women were never allowed by the altar
 These images are created in their place because they never actually made it here
CHRIST PANTOCRATOR, 6TH C.: Byzantine - Early Byzantine Art
 This is an icon – on a wood panel – 32” high
 Close up picture of Christ – looks like he is standing in front of a niche
 He is just staring out at the viewer
 He is holding some sort of very grand bible
 Has a huge golden halo
 Trying to make him look natural – not perfectly symmetrical
 The eyes are emphasized in this hypnotical gaze

VIRGIN (THEOTOKOS) AND CHILD BETWEEN ST. THEODORE AND ST. GEORGE: Byzantine - Early Byzantine Art
 This is an icon
 Image of Mary with the Christ child on her lap
 27” high
 6 figures that fill the whole panel
 Up at the top is the hand of god with a ray of light coming down
 Angels look as though they are painted in a different manner
 The main group – virgin Mary in deep blue – Christ child in gold – they don’t look at you
 The saints to the sides look at you – dressed in the costume of the people who protected the emperor and empress – these
saints were both soldiers – here they are depicted as a sort of body guard