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Byzantine Art
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ANONYMOUS MASTER:
"JESUS OF NAZARETH AS CHRISTUS IMPERATOR"
This mosaic is in the lunette of the small atrium leading to the
chapel, above the door. The rooms are among the few that survived from
the original palace, which was built at the time of Archbishop Peter II
(491-519). Portrayals of Jesus as universal sovereign or victorious hero
were favoured in areas influenced first by the culture of the imperial
court, and then by Byzantine art. This mosaic shows Jesus standing in a
hilly landscape. He wears the military garb of the emperor, carries a
cross and a book, and is standing on a lion and a serpent. The few gaps
in the original mosaic are finished in tempera.
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Mosaic,
Circa 494-520,
Cappella Arcirescovile, Ravenna, Italy |
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Italian Byzantine Art
The most important centre of Byzantine art in Italy was that of the
exarchate of Ravenna, part of the territory ruled from
Constantinople by Justinian from 527 to 565. There, the church of
Sant'Apollinare - from the early sixth century - was inspired by
examples from Constantinople and the Pantheon of Rome, and decorated
by Justinian's finest mosaicists. The Orthodox baptistry (early
fifth century), the Arian baptistry (early sixth century), and the
San Vitale baptistry (mid-sixth century) are also variations on the
Pantheon, with wonderful effects of light in relation to the domes,
which were built of very pale terracotta. Fretwork in the sculpture
of the capitals and the low partitions and barriers show a rejection
of sheer mass in favour of a more delicate, graphic treatment. The
vigorous and sensitive moulding on fifth-century Ravenna tombs
became more austere in the following century, relying on contrasts
of light between solid and hollow panels rather than figurative
elements. The unrivalled complexity of form, wealth of detail, and
visionary expression in the Ravenna mosaics make them the finest
examples of Byzantine art from the middle of the fifth century (the
so-called Mausoleum of Galla Placidia built at this time still had
Roman traits) to the late sixth century (Saints and Virgins in
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo).
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Mosaic, William of Sicily offers the Church to the Mother of God,
1180-94. Cathedral of Monreale Sicily.
This is one of an extraordinary
series of mosaics executed between the 12th and the 13th centuries by
local craftsmen as well as Venetians, and possibly also
Greek-Macedonians. During the Norman reign, Greek, Muslim, and Latin
masters devoted themselves to the arts; works bear scripts in
all three alphabets, and also in Hebrew
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In the Adriatic region, both new and
established settlements flourished among the Venetian lagoons, and
were proud of their political autonomy. Although they paid lip
service to the sovereignty of Byzantium, they never came under its
rule. The fifth-century basilica of Aquileia, for example, was
rebuilt in the Romanesque style in the 11th century. The whole area
is notable for its important Roman mosaics from fourth-century
religious buildings, some of later date in the cathedral presbytery,
and another fine floor mosaic in the remains of the baptistry of the
hamlet of Monastero. The floor mosaic of the baptistry of Graclo
dates from the sixth century, and the local great basilica of
Sant'Eufemia, consecrated in ad579, contains other late-antique
mosaics. On the island of Torcello, the cathedral of the Assumption
has a beautiful iconostasis (the screen dividing the sanctuary from
the main body of the church). The Byzantine pre-Romanesque and
Romanesque style of this area can also be seen in the church of
Santi Maria e Donato on the island of Murano; there, a splendid
mosaic of the Mother of God from the 13th century bears a strong
Greek influence. In Sicily, mosaics from the Norman period reveal a
similar influence. In the royal country residences of Cuba and Zisa,
outside Palermo, the Altavilla family lavished money on buildings of
rare charm and remarkable complexity, while retaining an outward
appearance of consummate simplicity. Islamic, Byzantine, and Latin
craftsmen decorated and built these residences using a variety of
techniques and styles. Similarly, many sacred buildings in southern
Italy can be defined as Byzantine pre-Romanesque and Romanesque,
including the church of San Pietro in Otranto, with its fine
tenth-century frescos, Santa Filumena at Santa Severina, and San
Marco at Rossano.
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Sarcophagus of the "Twelve Apostles".
Jesus Giving the
Scriptures to Paul, Peter, and four other Apostles, fifth century.
Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy.
The series of sarcophagi in the side naves of this church
provides interesting dues to the development from late Roman to
late Byzantine art |
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ANONYMOUS MASTER:
"THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL"
This is a beautiful example of Byzantine goldwork, executed with
extreme precision. The icon is made of embossed gold leaf and coloured enamel.
The figure of the archangel is shown from the front, clad in armour, with wings
and a halo. In his left hand, he carries the orb and the cross, symbols of
Christ's authority, and, in his right, a drawn sword. At the top of the frame
are three round plaques with Christ at the centre. Saints feature in the four
elliptical plaques at the sides. The interstices are richly decorated with
jewels. Such a refined, detailed work is likely to have come from the court
workshops in Byzantium.
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Framed icon, tenth century, Treasury of San Marco, Venice
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THE TREASURY OF ST MARK'S
St Mark's basilica in Venice was consecrated in 832 as the chapel of
the body of St Mark, and was for centuries the chapel of the court
of the doges. Although a succession of other architectural styles —
Romanesque. Gothic, and Renaissance — left their mark on the
basilica, it never lost its essentially Byzantine character. Its
remarkable collection of icons, alongside other artistic genres,
make it a great example of Byzantine artistic culture in the West.
The celebrated bronze horses arrived in Venice in 1204. looted by
the Doge Enrico Dandolo from the hippodrome of Constantinople during
the Fourth Crusade. Some regard the horses as Greek works from the
fourth or third century bc, while others see them as Roman
masterpieces from the age of Constantino (fourth century ad). There
is also an astonishing variety of art works — Egyptian, Roman,
Persian, and, above all. Byzantine — in St Marks Treasury, next to
the museum.
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Bronze horses,
St Mark's basilica, Venice
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Sant' Apollinare in
Classe
(530-549)
Ravenna, Italy
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Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe
The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe in
Ravenna,
Italy, was erected by order of
Bishop Ursicino, using money from the Greek banker,
Julian the Silversmith. It was consecrated on May 8, 549
by Bishop Maximian and dedicated to the first bishop of
Ravenna and Classe. The Basilica is thus contemporary to
the
Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It was certainly
located next to a Christian cemetery, and quite possibly
on top of a pre-existing pagan one, as some of the
ancient tombstones were re-used in its construction. In
856, the relics of
Saint Apollinare were transferred from the Basilica
of Sant' Apollinare in Classe to the
Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna.
(From Wikipedia)
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 Basilica Sant' Apollinare in
Classe, (530-549), Ravenna, Italy |
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 Basilica Sant' Apollinare in
Classe, (530-549), Ravenna, Italy |
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Basilica Sant' Apollinare in Classe, (530-549), Ravenna, Italy |
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 Basilica Sant' Apollinare in
Classe, (530-549), Ravenna, Italy |
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Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo
Ravenna, Italy
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San Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna. |
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San Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna.
Mosaic detail of Saint Andrew and
fisherman,
before 526 A.D. |
The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo in
Ravenna,
Italy, was erected by the
Arian King
Theodoric as his palace chapel, during the first
quarter of the 6th century. Originally dedicated to
Jesus Christ, it was reconsecrated in
561 with the suppression of the Arian cult to
Saint Martin of Tours, the implacable foe of
heretics. According to legend,
Pope Gregory the Great ordered that the
mosaics in the church to be blackened, as their
golden glory distracted worshippers from the prayers
Citation needed. The
basilica was renamed again in
856, when relics of
Saint Apollinare were transferred from the
Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe.
Its
apse and
atrium underwent modernization at various times,
beginning in the 6th century with the destruction of
mosaics whose themes were too overtly Arian or which
expressed the king's glory, but the mosaics of the
lateral walls, twenty-four columns with
Corinthian columns, and an
ambo are preserved.
On the upper wall of the laterial walls are 13 small
mosaics depicting Christ's miracles and parables and 13
mosiacs depicting the Passion and Resurrection, however,
the flagellation and crucifixion are lacking; Christ is
always depicted as young, beardless and dressed as a
Roman Emperor. These mosiacs are separated by decorative
mosaic panels depicting a shell-shaped niche with a
tapesty, cross, and two doves.
(From Wikipedia)
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San Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna.
Top zone nave mosaic showing Christ before Pilate.
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