ART HISTORY 208 TERM SHEET
EARLY CHRISTIAN/BYZANTINE ART
“Pagan motifs transformed by Christian beliefs”
Portrait of Constantine, c. 320 CE
-note large eyes, blocky features
Arch of Constantine, ca. 325 CE
-Combination of new sculptures & pieces pilfered
from older monuments
-Tondi: Boar Hunt, Sacrifice to Diana
-4th century CE reliefs of emperor’s court—
completely unclassical—small blocky figures
packed together, large, crude heads
Basilica of Maxentius/Constantine, Rome, ca. 320
CE
-Creation of additional capital city at Byzantium
by Constantine; called “Constantinopolis”=
“Constantine’s city.” Today called Istanbul.
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Interior of Old St. Peter’s Rome, 320-30 CE
(WORKBOOK 171)
Constantine, basilica, propylaeum (formal
gateway), atrium, narthex, stepped podium,
ciborium (canopy over altar)
C/W Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 345 CE, Jerusalem
-Helena’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem
-place of crucifixion (the rock held to be
Golgotha), and the nearby tomb
-the “true cross” story
Sarcophagi
-until 2nd cent. CE, normal Roman burial practice
was cremation
-Christians generally rejected cremation,
preferring to keep body intact, but
-some pagan Romans began to inhume bodies
from 2nd cent. CE onwards
-remains put in a sarcophagus; wealthy people
had elaborately carved ones of stone
-some so large that they could be re-opened &
used for multiple burials
Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus, ca. 230 CE
-compare to early Christian
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Good Shepherd Sarcophagus, c. 300 CE
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, 359 CE
(WORKBOOK 176)
-prefect of Rome & former consul
-Classical forms?
Early Christian representations of Christ
Catacomb of Pamphilius, Rome 3rd cent. AD
Painted Ceiling Catacomb of Sts. Pietro &
Marcellino, Rome, 4th c. (WORKBOOK 168)
Catacomb, loculi, cubicula, lunettes, JC as
good shepherd, orans, aniconic
395 CE: Emp. Theodosius divided Roman empire
into East. & West. Divisions; younger son
Honorius took control of the western; moved his
capital to Ravenna in Italy.
Good Shepherd Mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla
Placidia, Ravenna, 425 CE (WORKBOOK 174)
-Galla Placidia =Honorius’ half sister
-cruciform (centrally planned church),
-pendentive dome (vs. squinches)
-St. Lawrence
-image of Christ
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BYZANTINE ART: ASSOCIATED W/THE
COURT OF JUSTINIAN (ruled 527-65 CE); only
looking at Early Byz. art
TIMELINE
c. 540 CE Ravenna, Italy became part of Byz
empire and served as Justinian’s administrative
center in Italy.
Hagia Sophia, Constantinopole, Istanbul/Turkey,
532-7 CE (WORKBOOK 177-8)
-Anthemius and Isodorus, architects
-minarets (later additions!!)
-centrally planned around dome
-pendentives
-narthex has many entrances
San Vitale, Ravenna, 526-47 CE (WORKBOOK
179-82)
-4th c. Roman martyr
-DETAILS: ext, interior, plan, capital,
sanctuary, mosaics, ambulatory, dome
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-Emperor Justinian w/paten w/ communion
bread
-Empress Theodora & Attendants
-Christ Between Angels & Saints, The Second
Coming in Sanctuary apse
-Bishop Ecclesius, bishop during time that
Church foundations laid, carries model of
church
Sant’ Apollinaris in Classe, Ravenna, 533-549 CE
-apse mosaic
-transfiguration of Christ w/ St. Apollinaris
iconoclasm, icons, iconoclasm
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