Byzantine

• Byzantine Arts

  • After Constantine converted to Christianity and transferred the seat of power to Constantinople, numerous Christian churches were built.
  • The churches are beautiful inside and out.
  • They are defined by their magnificent domes and centralized cross-in-square plan.
• Hagia Sophia

  • in modern-day Istanbul was built in the 6th century.
  • It is considered one of the world’s greatest Byzantine monuments.
  • It has three domes with main one standing in 105 feet. It also has three aisles with galleries.
  • First used as a Catholic church and called The Cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
  • After the Turkish colonization in 1453, it was transformed into a mosque.
  • Then, in 1934 President Kemal Atatürk transformed it into a museum.
• Byzantine churches are adorned by huge mosaics with images of figures of the spiritual world. Made with tiles or colored glasses, the mosaics represent the power of the church and its message as well as the affirmation of the rulers.
• [Byzantine mosaics were] mostly placed on the walls and ceilings, the artworks show hierarchy. The human figures are unrealistic with flat, expressionless faces that stare straight ahead on a blue or gold background.
• Byzantine Art Hierarchy

  1. Jesus
  2. Angels and Saints
  3. Emperor
  4. Other Officials
• Christ Pantocrator inside the Hagia Sophia

  
• Icons were common during the Byzantine period. These representations of holy figures were mostly seen on wooden panels that can be hung on the wall. The full frontal figures have halos and stare directly to the viewer.
• An artistic crisis called the Iconoclastic. The controversy began on 726-843 CE. They banned the icons because they believed they were idolatrous.
• Byzantine Christian Arts were made because of the following:

  1. to beautify a structure;
  2. to teach Christian beliefs;
  3. to remind followers to be faithful
• With these reasons [in Byzantine Art] the paintings, the frescoes as well as the sculptures present figures and events from the bible. Even pieces of jewelry and metalwares were stamped with Christian images.