Early Christian and Byzantine Art

1. Early Christian and Byzantine Art

3. CHRISTIANITY 101 • Monotheistic • Believe God manifests in three Persons • Father (God) • Son (Jesus Christ) • Son of God by human mother, the Virgin Mary • Holy Spirit • Sacred Scripture=Holy Bible • Old Testament/New Testament

4. Holy Bible

5. Jesus Christ • Son of God • Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to a Virgin Mother (Mary) • Gave teachings on love and forgiveness and performed miracles • Betrayed, arrested, tried, convicted and crucified • Resurrected after 3 days

6. Christian Ministry • Teachings on humility, love, charity, forgiveness, personal relationship with God, promise of life after death • Poor, powerless drawn to faith • Ministry spread despite persecutions

7. Christian Persecution

8. Persecutions • Typically, persecutions were local and sporadic • Set on fire, killed by animals, crucified • Christianity was an undergroundreligion • Earliest work in catacombs and on sarcophagi • Constantine recognized Christianity • Issued Edict of Milan

9. Early Christianity in Rome • Apostle Paul went outside Palestine to minister-spread belief in Christianity • Gradual change to Christianity • Lower classes first • Aristocracy last

10. STYLE • How was Jesus represented in Early Christian art?

11. During persecution, Jesus was represented as a young shepherd protecting his sheep • After Christianity was officially recognized, Christ took on imperial attributes: • the halo • purple robe • bearded face as a mature adult • the throne- which denoted his ruling • Constantine wanted Christ to be represented more like a king

15. Subjects • Incarnation: birth and childhood • Ministry and Miracles • Passion: everything leading to his death and after • Crucifixion, resurrection, ascension

16. Constantine’s Patronage • Protected and advanced Christianity in Empire • Provided land, erected buildings(churches, basilicas, shrines, etc.) • 1st major patron to Christian architecture

17. The EarliestChristian Art

18. Early Christian Catacombs • Underground cemeteries • Catacombs in Rome 60-90 miles long, up to 5 levels deep • From 2nd-4th c. used constantly • cubicula carved out to serve as chapels

19. Underground chapels • Greek Chapel, Catacombs of Priscilla

20. LOCULUS- niche for the bodies.

21. Catacomb Frescoes • Frescoes are painted on ceilings and walls of the catacombs. • quick, sketchy paintings of poor quality. • Decomposing corpses spoiled the air, the humidity was excessive, and the lighting was poor.

23. Orant Fresco • The Veiled Woman • Fresco over a tomb niche • Good Shepherd fresco abovc • Left side-married, right side-nursing • Middle-orant

24. Good Shepherd, Orants, and Story of Jonah, ceiling catacomb of Saint Pietro and Marcellino

26. Catacomb ceiling fresco • Center circle is Jesus as a Good Shepherd • Lines extend out, form cross • Lunettes-semi-circles at end of each arm of cross

27. Jesus-Greek ideal, youthful form, Classical influence • This shows Jesus with his flock • Portrays the humble status the man represented—a carpenter. • Cross layout of design

28. The Earliest Churches

29. Old. St. Peter’s Basilica (no longer standing), 322-27 CE

31. Plan • Basilica plan

32. Roman basilicas were the models for early Christian churches • Builders added a transept to look like cross • Commissioned by Constantine • Model for basilicas all over world. • Plain outside, beautiful inside • Contrast was to remind Christians that the beauty of the inner spirit was more important than the external beauty. • Gender worshipping roles

33. Reconstruction Drawing (Interior)

34. Santa Sabina, Rome, Italy. 422-432 CE

35. Interior of Santa Sabina, Rome, Italy

36. Modeled after Roman basilicas • Features a timbered ceiling like Old St. Peter’s • Spolia: Columns from pagan temples. • Appropriation • Corinthian columns lead eye to apse • Clerestory

38. Rise of Christianity • 325 CE Christianity became the official religion of the empire. • 383 CE specified Christianity became sole religion of the Empire. • All so-called pagan religions were made crimes against the state.

39. Byzantine Background • 330 CE Split of Roman Empire • Western and Eastern • Western Empire fell into decline • Eastern Empire was strong and became the most powerful force in Europe • Eastern Empire=Byzantine Empire

40. In 527, Justinian ascended the throne • He established Ravenna on the east coast as a new center of power. • “The Golden Age of Byzantine” • 1000 years • Byzantine Empire fell in 1463 to Ottoman Turks

42. Byzantine Art • Mostly Christian and/or Imperial • Mosaics favored • Illuminated Manuscripts • Book production very rare • Done by monks in monasteries

43. Vienna Genesis • Oldest existing Illuminated Manuscript • Codex (codices) • book made of many pages of paper, vellum, etc • Text written by hand • Bound • Video on production

44. Dyed purple vellum • Silver handwritten text • Illustrations at bottom • Roman style persisting

45. Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, from the Vienna Genesis. Early Byzantine, illuminated manuscript (tempera, gold, silver on purple vellum)

46. Abraham wanted wife for son • Sent servant, Eliezer, to find one • Met Isaac’s future wife on the way

47. Jacob Wrestling the Angel, from the Vienna Genesis. Early Byzantine, illuminated manuscript (tempera, gold, silver on purple vellum)

48. Jacob leading family • Separated • Meets/wrestles man who blesses him

49. Emperors and God • No separation of church and state in the Byzantine Empire • Byzantine Emperors were considered to be Christ’s substitute on earth. They believed that the imperial will was God’s will. • Justinian was a divine ruler • Byzantine emperors were like pharaohs or ancient god-kings

50. Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy. 526-547 CE. Brick, marble, stone veneer; mosaic