Emperor Justinian and his attendants,
Church of San Vitale
• Placed in the apse- sacred area on the right
hand of Christ
• Justinian’s halo- indicates his God-like status
• Dressed in royal purple and gold
• Holds a paten (bowl for the Eucharist bread)—
shows Communion taking place
• Justinian and Bishop Maximianus are
overlapping in the mosaic which represents
imperial and churchly powers are in balance.
• rich surfaces with golden background,
indicating timelessness
• flattened space, figures have no volume,
floating feet, stylized folds, wide staring eyes
Empress Theodora and her
attendants,
• Mosaic opposite her husband in less
significant place (left hand of JC)
• Was a former actress, looked on lowly in
society-elevated to holy status by Justinian
• Crowned, jeweled, in purple, robed
• Byzantine characteristics-floating feet, wide
eyes, flat figures, stylized folds
St. Apollinares
with sheep,
Ravenna, Italy
• Jeweled cross- Symbol of Transfigured Christ-revealing
his divinity
 Above the jeweled cross is the hand of God
• Three sheep below the cross- represent the 3 disciples
who accompanied Christ to the foot of Mount Habor of
transfiguration.
• Twelve sheep represent the martyred apostles
accompanied by St. Apollinaris shown as an orant,
protecting the Christian congregation.
• Along the very top:
John- Eagle
Matthew- Angel
Mark- Lion
Luke- Ox
• There are no illusionistic devices
no volume
no overlapping
story is being told in terms of flat symbols lined up
side by side
Monastery churches at Hosios Loukas, Greece.
Katholikon and the Church of the Theotokos
• In the Katholikon (church on the left) the
dome is placed over an octagon inscribed
within a square.
• The octagon is formed by squinches.
They make the transition from a square
base to a round dome.
Squinches
• later Byzantine churches
• they have added decorative patterns to
the exterior of the church.
• Historians believe this is because they
were influenced by Islamic architecture.
The Transfiguration
of Christ, Church of
the Virgin, Mt. Sinai,
Egypt
• Justinian- patron
• Scene represents the transfiguration, when Jesus
goes to Mount Tabor and is declared the son of
God
• Jesus was transformed so that his face shone like
the sun, and his clothes became as white as light
• figures seem to float above the ground
• Moses on the left, Elijah on the right
• The disciples have this frantic terror,
astonishment
• Jesus is very white because of the transfiguration
• deep blue mandorla-almond shaped design
element, usually used to frame Christ
• Depthless field of gold
Icons & Iconoclasm
Icon- an image of holy figures painted on
wooden panels
– Early Christians prayed to them for miracles.
Held them, kissed them
– Controversial—led to Iconoclasm in 7th &8th c. –
destruction of holy images
• Iconoclasm= “image breaking”
• In 8th century, discomfort grew with the use of icons
in worship
– Possible idolatry
– Distraction
• Emperor Leo III imposed iconoclasm-much religious
art was destroyed
• Iconoclasm was Imperial policy until 843 CE
Harbaville Triptych
• Portable ivory three-paneled (triptych)
shrine
Result of iconoclasm
• Shows Christ as a mature, powerful figure.
Hieratic scale.
• Somewhat relaxed stance instead of the
usual Byzantine strict frontal pose
• Figures labeled, symmetrical
Virgin of Vladimir Icon
Has many traits of Byzantine Icons
• sharp sideways inclination of the Virgin’s head
• Sweeping contours that enclose the two figures
• Virgin’s head is tightly embraced with the Christ
child
• Long straight nose and small mouth
• Flat silhouette against the golden background
• Deep sad expression of the Virgin as she
contemplates the future sacrifice of her son
• Jesus is a homunculus. Size of a baby but
looks like a man- homunculus
• Tempera on wood-pigment mixed with egg yolk