Chapter 9: Byzantium
Preview: In 324, Constantine founded Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey) on the site of
ancient Byzantium. With the subsequent division of the Roman Empire into eastern and western
centers, the city became the capital of the Eastern Christian, or Byzantine Empire. Byzantine art is
divided into three periods: Early Byzantine (324-726), Middle Byzantine (843-1204), and Late
Byzantine (1261-1453). The art and architecture of Byzantium glorified its emperors and gave
visual form to the Orthodox Christian doctrine, which became the official religion of the realm
under the Emperor Justinian. Though countless Early Byzantine artworks were destroyed in the
era of iconoclasm (726-843), Middle Byzantine art marks a golden age after iconoclasm’s repeal.
In the paintings and sculpture, Byzantine artists carry on classical traditions, but their depictions
lack the naturalism and illusionism one sees in the art of Ancient Rome. Orthodox church
architecture incorporates forms established in Rome, though Byzantine architects favored Greekcross plans. A hallmark of Byzantine architecture is the construction of the dome set on
pendentives, the most spectacular example of which is to be seen in the Hagia Sophia (532-537) in
Constantinople. The Byzantine Empire falls when the Ottoman Turks seize Constantinople in
1453, and many of its churches, including the Hagia Sophia, are converted to mosques.
Key Figures: Constantine, Justinian, Theodora, Anthemius of Tralles, Isidorus of Miletus, Zoe
Porphyrogenita, Andrei Rublyev
Key Art Terms: iconoclasm, mandorla, icon, iconoclast, iconophile, triptych, psalter, iconostasis
Key Religious Terms: chi-rho-iota, paten, silentiary, monasticism, Pantokrator, Anastasis,
Crucifixion
Key Architectural Terms: Greek-cross plan, central plan, apse, pendentives, squinches, drum,
choir, exedra, monastery, refectory, martyrium, muqarnas, templon, parekklesion
Lecture Notes:
Introductory Notes:
Early Byzantine Art:
Before Justinian:
Dates _____________

Saint Michael the Archangel, right leaf of a diptych, early sixth century
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:

Anicia Juliana between Magnanimity and Prudence, folio 6 verso of the Vienna Dioskorides,
from Honoratai, near Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, ca. 512
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Blackberry bush, Vienna Dioskorides, 512
o Description & significance:
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Justinianic Art and Architecture:
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Justinian as world conqueror (Barberini Ivory), mid-sixth century
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Hagia Sophia, Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, 532-537 (exterior)
o Architects:
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Restored cutaway view of Hagia Sophia
o Architectural features:
Plan of Hagia Sophia
o Architectural features & location on plan:
Interior of Hagia Sophia
o Description:
o Architectural features:
Illustration: Dome on pendentives and on squinches
o Notes:
San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, 526-547 (exterior)
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Plan of San vitale, Ravenna, Italy, 526-547
o Description:
Choir and apse of San Vitale with mosaic of Christ between two angels, Saint Vitalis, and
Bishop Ecclesius, Ravenna, Italy, 526-547
o Description:
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o Mosaic subjects:
o Stylistic features:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Throne of Maximianus, ca. 546-556
o Description:
o Subject & significance:
Justinian, Bishop Maximianus, and attendants, mosaic on the north wall of the apse, San
Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 547
o Description/location:
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Theodora and attendants, mosaic on the south wall of the apse, San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy,
ca. 547
o Description/location:
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Saint Apollinaris amid sheep, apse mosaic, Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 533549
o Description:
o Mosaic subjects:
o Stylistic features:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Transfiguration of Jesus, apse mosaic, Church of the Virgin, monastery of Saint Catherine,
Mount Sinai, Egypt, ca. 548-565
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Ascension of Christ, folio 13 verso of the Rabbula Gospels, from Zagba, Syria, 586
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Crucifixion and Resurrection, Rabbula Gospels, 586
o Description:
Christ blessing, icon, Mount Sinai, sixth century
o Medium/materials:
o Description:

Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George, icon, sixth or early
seventh century
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Middle Byzantine Art:
Dates______________
Architecture and Mosaics:
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Virgin (Theotokos) and Child enthroned, apse mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople
(Istanbul), Turkey, dedicated 867
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Katholikon, Hosios Loukas, Greece, first quarter of 11th century (exterior)
o General description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Plan of the Church of the Theotokos and the Katholikon, Hosios Loukas, Greece, second half
of 10th and first quarter of 11th century respectively
o Description:
Church of the Dormition (view into dome), Daphni, Greece, ca. 1090-1100
o General description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Christ as Pantokrator, dome mosaic in the Church of the Dormition, Daphni, Greece
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
Crucifixion, mosaic in the north arm of the east wall of the Church of the Dormition, Daphni,
Greece:
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
Christ between Constantine IX Monomachus and the empress Zoe, mosaic on the east wall
of the south gallery, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, ca. 1028-1035:
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Saint Sophia, Kiev, begun 1037
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o Description & significance:
Saint Mark’s (interior), Venice, Italy, begun 1063
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Pala d’Oro, Saint Mark’s, Venice, ca. 1105
o Description:
o Function & significance:
Archangel Michael icon, Venice, ca. 1100
o Description:
Pantokrator, Theotokos and Child, angels, and saints, apse mosaic in the cathedral,
Monreale, Italy, ca. 1180-1190
o Description:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Cappella Palatina, Palermo, begun 1142
o Description & significance:
Christ enthroned with saints (Harbaville Triptych), ca. 950
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Lamentation, wall painting, Saint Panteleimon, Nerezi, Macedonia, 1164
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
David composing the Psalms, folio 1 verso of the Paris Psalter, ca. 950-970
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Virgin of Compassion icon (Vladimir Virgin), late 11th or early 12th century, with later
repainting
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Late Byzantine Art:
Dates______________

Saint Catherine, Thessaloniki, ca. 1280
o Description & significance:
Painting

Anastasis, fresco in the apse of the parekklesion of the Church of Christ in Chora (now the
Kariye Museum), Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, ca. 1310-1320
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
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Christ as Savior of Souls, icon from Saint Clement, Ohrid, Macedonia, early 14th century
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Annunciation, reverse of two-sided icon from the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos, Ohrid,
Macedonia, early 14th century
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Andrei Rublyev, Three Angels (Old Testament Trinity), ca. 1410
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Large sakkos of Photius, ca. 1417
o Description & significance:
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Concluding notes:
Exercises for Study:
1. Enter the approximate dates for these periods in Byzantine Art, and identify key characteristics
of the art and architecture of each:
Early Byzantine:
Iconoclasm to Restoration of Images:
Middle Byzantine:
Late Byzantine:
2. Select one Roman and one Byzantine painting, mosaic, or relief and compare/contrast their
subjects and pictorial illusionism.
3. Select one Early Christian and one Byzantine church, and compare/contrast their architectural
features, plan, and decoration.
4. Describe the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, specifically mentioning its plan and structure, the
innovation of the dome on pendentives, and the role of light in the church.
5. Compare and contrast the following pairs of artworks, using the points of comparison as a
guide.
A. Virgin and Child from the Monastery of St. Catherine (Fig. 9-18); mosaic of Theodora from San
Vitale (Fig. 9-14)
 Periods:
 Medium/materials:
 Subjects:
 Stylistic features:
 Function:
B. Saint Michael the Archangel (Fig. 9-2); Christ enthroned with saints (Harbaville Triptych) (Fig.
9-28)
 Periods:
 Medium/materials:
 Stylistic features:
C. San Vitale, Ravenna (Fig. 9-10); Hosios Loukas, Greece (Fig. 9-20)
 Periods
 Medium/materials
 Subjects
 Stylistic features