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Byzantine Art. Byzantine 500-1453 ADE. The beginning of the middle ages . The beginning of Christianit y—therefore a very religious time period
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Byzantine 500-1453 ADE • The beginning of the middle ages. • The beginning of Christianity—therefore a very religious time period • Early Christian art was illegal and practiced in secret: may symbols (i.e the fish for Christ) were used to indicate to people where meetings were to be held • Later became the accepted religion and art was for the servant of the church: to decorate and to instruct and demonstrate (many people could not read—paintings taught them)
Byzantine 500-1453 ADE • The human body became stylized, simple, unrealistic: supposed to represent but not realistically. Nudes were forbidden, and all clothed figures were incorrect in proportion. • An Icon is a painting on a wood panel, depicting Christ, Mary, or a saint, that was hung in a church or home. • Iconoclast Period: “Breaking of Icons” Church leaders were worried that people might start to worship icons instead of the holy people they represented so icons were forbidden by Emperor Leo III in 726. This decree was lifted in 843 and icons remained an important part of Byzantine art.
Byzantine 500-1453 ADE • Churches were plain on the outside, but highly decorated on the inside with gold and shiny glass mosaics (as opposed to Roman mosaics which were created with duller tile)—they wanted to create a “heaven within the church” • The Roman cross church format was created at this time—still the basis of churches today
Hagia Sophia – Istanbul, Turkey • DESCRIBED AS HEAVEN ON EARTH: • Characteristics: huge dome on square with pendentives—creating huge , airy space with lots of windows and covered in gold and glass mosaics; the dome is 50 m above the ground! • Was sacked by the Moslems in 1453, and turned into a mosque—all mosaics were plastered over, now it is a museum and is returned to original spendor.
Romanesque Art Middle of the Medieval Time Period
Romanesque Architechture • The art was primarily religious and effort was put into constructing churches and decorating them—churches were huge to accommodate pilgrims and vastly growing towns. • Churches were cross shaped topped with a huge tower at the crossing. Most churches , and castles, were low and dark and heavy. Italian churches were brighter. Wooden roofs of previous times were replaced with barrel vault and groin vault—this helped prevent fires. • There were small windows inside so as to not weaken the walls—the problem of weight had not yet been solved. Rounded arches (roman influence) over doors and windows.
Romanesque • St. Sernin church in France was a huge church for pilgrimages—built to hold 1000s of travelers on their way to sacred shrines
Romanesque Sculpture • A revival! • Much sculpture had been lost, destroyed or not made for 100s of years. • Sculpture was used to decorate the churches, columns and around the doors. • Most sculpture is elongated and distorted—emphasizing the message not the realism; and the all fearful God; was used for teaching and prophecies.
Gothic Art The peak of the medieval time period
Gothic Architecture • Essence of Gothic— let there be light! Stained glass windows---beautiful and huge, rose windows and tracery (intricate frames around stained glass windows). • Thinner walls, allowed for more windows---flying buttresses provided outside support which allowed for tall, delicate churches and cathedrals—churches were higher and more ornate than ever before—tall spires to reach heaven. Church now seen as a beautiful place of worship, airy and filled with light. • Had pointed arches inside and on windows. • Highly decorative and detailed.
