Byzantine Empire Map
Byzantine, Islamic and Middle Ages Key Events
526 – 1204 Byzantine Era 526 – St Benedict Establishes Monasticism 527-565 - Reign of Eastern Emperor Justinian and his wife
Theodora 622 – Mohammed establishes Islam when fleeing from Mecca 700 – Traditional date of first book in English – Beowulf 711-715 – Conquest of North Africa and Spain by Muslims/
Arab rule established in and around Mediterranean 726 – 843 – Iconoclasm – movement against the veneration
(worship) of icons in Churches 768 – 814 – Reign of Charlemagne Dec. 25, 800 – Charlemagne becomes first Holy Roman
Emperor 800- 900 – Vikings raid northern Europe, Muslims invade
Mediterranean, Magyars invade in the East
Byzantine, Islamic and Middle Ages Key Events
800 – the book 1001 Arabian Nights first written 843 – restoration of the images to Eastern churches 1054 – Break between Eastern Orthodox and Roman
Catholic Church (The Great Schism) 1071 – Conquest of eastern Byzantine provinces by Seljuks 1095-1099 – First Crusade called by Pope Urban II (Deus le
volt!) 1095-1307 – Era of the Crusades 1118 - First branch of warrior monks established – The
Knights Templar – soon followed by the Hospitallers and Teutonic Orders
1204 – Crusaders pillage Constantinople 1304 – Establishment of the Inquisition during the
Albigensian Crusade in France 1453 – Fall of Constantinople to the Turks – end of
Byzantine Era
Byzantine Art Characteristics
Onion Domes Pointed Arches Gilded Mosaics Ornate interiors Patterned and inlaid floors Slim people with small pointed feet Small almond shaped faces, huge eyes
Map: Early Byzantine and medieval Constantinople.
Justinian as world conqueror (Barberini Ivory)
mid-6th centuryivory1 ft. 1 1/2 in. x 10 1/2 in.
Most successful Byzantine Emperor – almost reconquered entire Western Empire
Byzantine Art
Hagia Sophia 532-537 Istanbul, Turkey Artist: Anthemius and
Isodorus Built under the
direction of Justinian Largest church of its
time; this is the first use of a dome with pendentives
v
Byzantine Art
San Vitale 526 – 547 Ravenna, Italy Typical octagonal
shape occurs in Byzantine style, plain exterior, extravagant interiors
Byzantine Art
Interior San Vitale 526 – 547 Ravenna, Italy The walls of the
interior are covered from floor to ceiling with mosaics
The amount of light and angle determines the colors and patterns you can see
Byzantine Art
Justinian Mosaic 547 Ravenna, Italy Byzantine mosaics
are typically very colorful with a heavy use of gold – note Justinian has a halo (not a saint)
He holds the bread (the host)
Byzantine Art
Theodora Mosaic 547 Ravenna, Italy Note the use of
gold – note Theodora’s halo – she was no saint
She carried the cup of wine
Byzantine. The Healing of the Blind, wall mosaic, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna. ca. 500 CE.
Byzantine. St. Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai. ca. 548–65 CE.
Transfiguration of Jesusapse mosaic, Church of the VirginMonastery of Saint CatherineMount Sinai, Egypt
ca. 565mosaic
Monastery begin to pop up in remote places so that monks could pray in peace
Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George, icon
6th or early 7th centuryencaustic on wood2 ft. 3 in. x 1 ft. 7 3/8 in.
Byzantine style included almond shaped heads and pointed feet
Katholikon and Church of the Theotokos
Hosios Loukas, Greece
Katholikon early 11th century, Church of the Theotokos, 10th century
Greek Byzantine usually contained multi colored stones
Baptism of Christ
Katholikon
Hosios Loukas, Greece
11th centurymosaic
Note the water effect
Pantocratordome mosaic in the Church of the Dormition
Daphni, Greece
ca. 1090-1100 mosaic
Mosaics begin to use lots of gold
Crucifixion in the Church of the Dormition
Daphni, Greece
ca. 1090-1100 mosaic
Considered the Byzantine mosaic masterpiece
Byzantine Art
St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
Begun 1063 Venice, Italy The bell tower was
rebuilt in 19th century due to its collapse
Basilica is typical Byzantine style – onion domes, mosaic decorations
San Marco Basilica
1063
Venice, Italy
Onion domes are typical as are exterior mosaics – heavy eastern influence
Byzantine Art
Interior of Saint Mark’s (San Marco)
1063 Venice, Italy Heavy use of gold
mosaic Intricately decorated
marble patterned floors In typical Byzantine
style in Greek Cross plan
Church was built for a large community
Byzantine Art
God Creates Eve 1200 Venice, Italy Mosaic work becomes
very intricate with heavy use of gold, but style is still decayed
Biblical stories were told in scenes like these
Pala d’Orofrom Saint Mark’s Cathedral
Venice, Italy
ca. 1105gold cloisonné with precious stones
Masterpiece of craftwork
ApseCathedral at Monreale
Monreale, Sicily, Italy
ca. 1180-1190 mosaic
Entire apse is mosaic filled
David composing the PsalmsParis Psalter
ca. 950-970tempera on vellum14 1/8 in. x 10 1/4 in.
Best example of Byzantine Illuminated Manuscripts
Anastasisapse fresco in parekklision of the Church of Christ in Chora
Constantinpole, (Istanbul), Turkey
ca. 1310-1320 fresco
Anastasis means Resurrection
Iconostasis
Icons became a major controversy in the Church and it actually caused a division – as the fear of worshiping idols rather than deity occurred
Early Christian and Byzantine Art
The end . . . Next lecture … Early Middle Ages