Shun Lee Catholic Secondary School Art & Design Form 1 notes Mosaic 1. The Art of the Middle Ages (circa 500 - 1,500) Roman Empire was divided into two parts: • • • 1. Rome became the capital of the Western Empire 2. Byzantium became the capital of the Eastern Empire. Christianity was the established religion in the Byzantine Empire. Christianity strongly affected art at that time. 2. Byzantine Art (circa 400 - 1,100) Art at that time served the Eastern Orthodox Church (東正教) and its popes. The subjects usually use stories from the Bible. The style of art at this time is called Byzantine art (拜占庭藝術). 3. Mosaic Mosaics (鑲嵌畫) is a characteristic of Byzantine art. Craftsmen learned the skills from the Persians and Arabians. They were used to decorate churches to create a religious atmosphere. Emperor Justinian and His Attendants (查士丁尼大帝與其侍從)