Images In Byzantine Church Essay

On the lower half is an organization of geometric forms. However, the most important mosaic is the representation of Emperor Justinian and Emprise Theodora. Justinian is presented holding a bowl of Eucharistic bread as Theodora carries a chalice or vessel of Eucharistic wine. Due to the orientation of these figures and the ones that surrounds them, it could be suggested that they represent bringing Eucharistic elements into the church. Perhaps even as an offering to christ which is reinforced by the three magi bearing gifts on Theodora's rob.

follow. That was the first goal of icons. The second goal was to form an

The Byzantine Empire and Western Europe originally were part of the Roman Empire, but by the middle Ages(medieval times), they were very different, even though they did share some common traits, but by the 300's, the Byzantine Empire had far surpassed Western Europe in trade and economics and political unity, while both empires were having arguments over religion.

Christian art and iconography began, about two hundred years after the birth of Christ. Western Christian art and religious iconography was based on the classical art styles and imagery by the Ancient Romans. Medieval art iconography began to relate more to text of the Bible. Religious Christian art was created in the form of illuminated manuscripts, mosaics, and fresco paintings adorned churches. The colors of art were generally muted except those used in manuscripts and stained glass windows. Figures varied in sizes in relation their importance. Unlike artists in the Byzantine period who avoided making sculptures at all costs, Romanesque artists made sculptures which were often large, made of stone, and

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.

Culture was another similarity that the byzantine and Islam's had. Islam is a well-known iconoclastic religion meaning it bands icons and images of religious figures just like Muhammad. The Byzantine empire went through an iconoclast period, motivated by Islamic Iconoclast culture. Emperor Leo III ordered the destruction of religious icons, some that were amazing pieces of Byzantine art. Both Byzantine and Islamic Empires traded on the silk road, which brought cultural diffusion from other areas and was a

At the council, 338 members met to rule on the use of images to depict religious figures and ideas. This assembly, including Emperor Constantine and Leo, rules that “the unlawful art of painting living creatures blasphemed the fundamental doctrine of our salvation—namely, the Incarnation of Christ, and contradicted the six holy synods” (Iconoclastic Council, 1). The Iconoclastic Council bans the use of images and pictures to depict religious ideologies and figures because they feared that worshippers honored the image over the actual person, place, or thing represented. To support their argument, the council recalls the Holy Book in which God states, “Thou shall not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath…They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,…and served the creature more than the Creator” (2). Unlike John, this council uses stronger textual evidence from the Holy Book in order to validate their argument against icons. Furthermore, they argued that “folly” painter constructed the icons to undermine the icons. Council members aimed to demonstrate the icons as evil creations because religious affiliates did not construct them. Nevertheless, the council banned all images, relics, and other representations of

With the adoption of Christianity as the official religion, art was able, so to speak, to come above ground in the old pagan city of Rome, and painting, instead of being restricted to the decoration of the walls of the Catacombs or of small chambers and chapels, came into use on a large scale in the new churches that were at once set up. At the same time patronage moved from the hands of the poorer classes to the richer, and artists of outstanding quality came to be employed as well as those of obscurer character, who would work for small fees (www.religion-online.org). To wall painting was added the more luxurious art of mosaic; numerous sculptures were done, and minor objects, often in expensive materials, were in addition produced in the service of the Church, so that art production became at the same time both more extensive and more luxurious (www.religion-online.org ).

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.

The Byzantine era is the continuation of the Roman Empire and as we, all know they were influenced by the Greeks. Around the 11th century “the clergy began to display icons in hierarchical order Christ, the Theotokos, John the Baptist and other saints” (Kleiner 279). The Virgin and Child Icon is tempera on wood, 30x21 inches. The virgin and her child have been an inseparable part of Russian history and its people. Many Russians claim and believed of miraculous interventions and favors received from the Virgin Mary due the

The early Byzantine art mainly followed the Roman arts. The work I chose was a

Mosaics were an extremely important part of early Christian Art. Mosaics were used in early Christian architecture to display a new Christian message, replacing paintings. An example used of this architecture is the Galla Placida (425-426), which uses a mosaic that depicts Saint Lawrence, to whom that building was dedicated too. The building also featured mosaics in the vaults and panels of marbled sheathing the walls below. During Byzantine times the fresco came to replace the mosaics.

Dear Madams and Dude’s, here I am in Constantinople and it’s beautiful! It is surrounded by beautiful Oceans, Rivers, And Lakes! It’s just one big Peninsula, and its right in the middle of other Peninsulas and Islands, so it is very hard to reach for attackers. I feel very safe here! Here everyone loves it and Constantinople is considered a very Glorious city. It is considered a glorious city because; Constantinople is very wealthy, it is the capital, and it is very well protected, and almost everyone there wears armor and rich clothes. When comparing Constantinople to Western Europe, Constantinople is very wealthy. In Western Europe there was a lot of Poor, Homeless people, and in Constantinople almost

The Protestants accused the Roman Church to have lost the sense of humility and poverty that once could be found in the old church, to pursue only the power, the wealth and the earthly pleasures. The Catholic Church has always had productive relationship with art. The Christian religion was the only major monotheistic religion not to banish, for ideological reasons, the artistic representation of human figures and stories. It is thanks to the church if the art of the West European did not disappear after the classical age. The church had an almost monopoly on the artistic production and has always had a tolerant attitude toward the creativity of their artists.

Becoming historically and culturally knowledgeable is subjective to studying arts of the world. Being exposed to arts associated with particular cultural contexts and periods of history maximizes the understanding of ancient civilizations and tribal societies. Significantly, arts reveal something about physical character and dominant social values of the time they were created and may convey “feeling” for the culture at that particular period. In this context, the project focuses on how Byzantine culture influenced the creation of Hagia Sophia. Analysis of art, architecture and structure of Hagia Sophia, enhances better understanding of the importance of Hagia Sophia in connection with the cultural aspects of the time. Hagia Sophia was