Divinity through Decoration: Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists

Gorgeously. Striking. Grace. The golden painting is taking up by the two most iconic symbols of Christianity: Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary. Christ gently placing a golden grown on the inclined head of the Virgin Mary, who is sitting on the right side of Jesus; her hands crossed over her chest symbolist of humble, reverent and loyalty. This position was purposely set by Fabriano. In Christianity art, position is significant in dividing between good manners and malefactors. For instance, in The Last Judgment by Giotto di Bondone in 1305, heaven was placed on right of Christ, and hell was on the left. This ideology was clearly stated in the bible “...before him shall be gathered all nations:

This paper will analyze the iconography of the mosaic, Good Shepherd (lunette, Oratory of Galla Placidia, c. 425-26, Ravenna, Italy), that is located on the lunette over the north doorway of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna. The iconography has been one of the most recognized and admired works of art since the 3rd century AD. In the mosaic, the artists present a depiction of Christ symbolic and traditional of Byzantine art during the conversion of Christianity in Roman provinces.

1. The Christ as the Good Shepherd mosaic located on the entrance wall of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy was made circa 425 AD. A mausoleum is a monumental tomb, usually meant for entombing the dead above ground. The mosaic is displayed in a lunette-a semi-circular wall of a vaulted room. Even though the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd was a common one in catacombs in previous centuries, the way that Christ was shown in art had changed since Christianity had been adopted as Rome's official religion and the image of Christ in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was no different. Previously Christ had been shown as a simple carpenter, but in the Christ as the Good Shepherd mosaic he is shown in a fine Roman wear. At the time, Greeks thought that they could create order within their environments and thus create statues that were "perfect." This is what they believed they were doing with the way Christ was shown in the mosaic at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia; creating a more worldly, powerful image of Christ. Christ is shown with a large golden nimbus (halo), a royal purple mangle over a golden tunic and holding a tall cross. Also depicted in the mosaic at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is a set of three sheep on each side of Christ, with him touching one on the nose.

The Christ figure is a recurring symbol in American literature. Throughout Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, various interactions and events portray McMurphy as a Christ figure. There are frequent visual and concrete references to Christ throughout the novel. Also, the reader discovers that the other patients view McMurphy as an inspiration and someone they wish to emulate. This cooperation enables him to oppose Nurse Ratched and do what he thinks is best for the patients.

Paolo de Matteis’s esteemed work The Adoration of the Shepherds is a large painting, depicting a classic Christian Nativity scene, that is displayed in the Dallas Museum of Art. In the piece, a dozen or so individuals surround the newborn Christ and his parents, gazing at him in admiration and paying him homage while animals look serenely on and angels assemble around the heads of the Holy Family. The artist employs several classic artistic elements in his painting, such as line, light, color, and shape, to draw the viewer’s focus directly to his intended point of emphasis, the infant Jesus.

In this paper, I will describe, compare, and contrast two paintings of the same name, The Annunciation by Gerard David and Joos van Cleve. Beginning with Joos van Cleve’s work, we see the virgin Mary kneeling down before an opened book. An illuminated dove with its wings spread is suspended above Mary. An angel is standing beside her, making a gesture. Both figures are inside an ornately decorated, well lit bedroom.

The exterior of the church is very different from the ones we are used to in the sense that the church itself is vividly painted with all types of icons dating back to the mid 1960s. The tradition for this types of paintings is however rather old and in the orthodox creed these paintings are particularly important because they show the saints for whom the church was erected and whose name they usually take.

Aside from linear perspective, Calabrese incorporates other geometrical forms throughout the composition. One is the circle at the foreground of the painting, which Calabrese offers the audience to complete. More outstanding is the triangle that occupies the majority of the space. John’s body, parallel to his staff, begs the viewer to trace the triangle from his eyes, across the woman and the lamb in the foreground, up the staff, and through to his hand. This triangle is significant in its symbolism of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son. The message here is clear; through Jesus, the lamb, one will be saved. It is also interesting that Calabrese places John between the lamb and his hand. It coincides with the paintings’ function as an altar piece in that John serves as an intercessor to the Divine. Through him, one has access to Jesus, and therefore God. The geometrical lines and shapes add to the painting’s dynamism and contribute to the optimistic promise the painting conveys.

For being over eight hundred years, the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists remained in remarkable condition. However, pieces of the original piece, which originated in the Catalan chapel in Spain, have faded. Portions, especially along the bottom, have disappeared over time. Even though historians moved it to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, it has not been fully restored. The artist identified each of the apostles in the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists, but the writing has grown fainter and this creates a difficulty for art historians. Another key factor in the overall story represented has faded--one of the lamps or incense holders beneath Christ.

The Holy Trinity by Masaccio was a painting done in approximately 1428. It is a

The attachment the beggars have on worldly desires is shown by their actions towards the coins. The painting is abstract and stylized as it shows the arhats being twice the size of the beggars. This is called the hierarchal scale because the artist wanted to portray the arhats as more grand and important compared to the beggars. Another abstract and stylized feature is that the arhats seem to be floating in a cloud and not physically on the ground. However, there are some components of naturalism. For example, the shading of the arhats clothing gives the effect of movement and flow as they gracefully stride down to earth. Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars is more abstract and stylized when compared to the typical naturalistic features of the Southern Song period. A good example is On a Mountain Path in Spring which shows an abundance of naturalism. Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars also shows more human figures and less nature unlike the earlier landscape paintings of the Southern Song period. The apse mosaic, Christ as Pantocrator, comes from the Byzantine culture. Found at a cathedral in Sicily at Monreale, Italy. The cathedral was constructed under Norman rule by William II to show his power and authority. The mosaic dates back to 1180 CE. Like the painting Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars, Christ as Pantocrator also evokes religious interpretation for it pictures the divine. The use of space, color, and comportment helps elaborate the

The depiction of Christ in this manner is quite rare before 450 A.D. As mentioned at the

The composition is built on the simple geometry of a pyramid, common among Renaissance artworks. The viewer’s attention is drawn immediately to Christ not only because He is located in the center, but the empty spaces surrounding him also serve as an emphasis. In addition, it gives off a sense of loneliness and isolation, knowing He is about to be betrayed. The twelve apostles are separated into four groups of three, with Christ as the central axis. Leonardo Da Vinci maintained the balance and symmetry within the space of the pyramid, dividing the four groups of apostles equally on both sides. The linear placement of the groups of apostles provides a balance and prevents overemphasis and attention on the center.

This essay starts with the use of Roman architecture to practice Christianity. Then I will write about how the image of the Roman emperors became the inspiration for the image of the Jesus. Finally I will discuss the way Romans used the same iconography and narrative they already had as a formula to image the bible.

Like the famous works inside the Brancacci chapel, the Trinity is done in fresco. This technique is performed by applying the pigments directly onto a wet plaster wall. This medium would not have allowed Masaccio the luxury