1. Chapter 12 – Rome in the East The Art of Byzantium © Kevan Nitzberg
AP Art History
Chapter 12 – Rome in the East
The Art of Byzantium
© Kevan Nitzberg

2. Chronology Early Byzantine: 527-725 Justinian – r. 527-565
Nika riots in Constantinople – 532
Belasarius captures Ravenna – 539
Heraclius defeats Persians – 627
Arabs besiege Constantinople –
Iconoclasm:
Leo III prohibits image making – 726
Ravenna falls to the Lombards – 751
Middle Byzantine:
Restoration of images – 843
Basil I – r (founder of Macedonian Dynasty)
Basil II – r (revival of Byzantine power)
Schism between Byzantine and Roman churches – 1054
Norman conquest of Sicily –
Seljuk Turks capture Byzantine Asia Minor – 1073
First Crusade –
Fourth Crusade and the Frankish Conquest –
Late Byzantine:
Michael VIII Palaeologus recaptures Constantinople from the Franks – 1261
Ottonian Turks capture Constantinople, end of Byzantine Empire

3. Map of Europe and the Byzantine Empire – ca. 1000

4. Justinian as world conqueror – mid 6th century

5. Detail of Justinian and beardless Christ

6. St. Michael the Archangel, right leaf of a diptych – early 6th century

7. Anthemius of Tralles and Isidsorus of Miletus: Hagia Sophia
Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey –

8. Alternate view of Hagia Sophia from the south

9. Interior view of Hagia Sophia

10. Interior view of Hagia Sophia facing southwest

11. Longitudinal section and plan of Hagia Sophia

12. San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy –

13. Alternate view of San Vitale

14. Plan of San Vitale

15. Interior of San Vitale – view from the apse to the choir

16. Choir and apse of San Vitale
with mosaic of Christ between two angels, St. Vitalis and Bishop Ecclesius
Ravenna, Italy –

17. Justinian, Bishop Maximianus and attendants,
mosaic from the north wall of the apse
San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy – ca. 547

18. Theodora and attendants, mosaic from the south wall of the apse
San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy – ca. 547

19. Saint Apollinaris amid sheep, apse mosaic – Sant’Apollinaris in Classe
Ravenna, Italy – ca

20. Alternate view of apse mosaic from Sant’Apollinaris in Classe

21. Transfiguration of Jesus – apse mosaic
Church of the Virgin, monastery of St. Catherine
Mount Sinai, Egypt – ca

22. Ascension of Christ, folio 13 verso of the Rabbula Gospels
Zagba, Syria - 586

23. Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George
Monastery of St. Catherine – 6th or early 7th century

24. Virgin (Theotokotos) and Child enthroned – apse mosaic
Hagia, Sophia, Constantinople, Turkey
Dedicated 867

25. Monastery churches at Hosios Loukas, Greece
Katholikon (left): 1st quarter of the 11th century /
Church of the Theotokos 2nd half of the 10th century

26. Plans of the Church of the Theotokos (top)
And Katholikon (bottom)

27. Interior of Katholikon (view facing east)

28. Dome mosaic in the Church of the Dormition
Christ as Pantokrater
Dome mosaic in the Church of the Dormition
Daphni, Greece – ca

29. Crucifixion mosaic in the Church of the Dormition
Daphni, Greece – ca

30. Interior of St. Mark’s (view facing east)
Venice, Italy – begun 1063

31. Exterior view of St. Mark’s

32. Pantokrator, Theotokos and Child, angels and saints
apse mosaic in the cathedral at Monreale, Italy – ca

33. Empress Irene, detail of the Pula D’Oro, St. Mark’s
Venice, Italy – ca. 1105

34. Christ enthroned with saints (Harbaville Triptych)
ca. 950

35. Lamentation over the Dead Christ wall painting
Saint Pantaleimon, Nerezi, Macedonia

36. David composing the Psalms, folio of the Paris Psalterca

37. Virgin (Theotokos), and Child, icon (Vladmir Virgin)
late 11th – early 12th century

38. Church of Saint Catherine Thessaloniki, Greece – ca. 1280

39. Anastasis, apse fresco in the parekklesion of Christ in Chora
Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey – ca

40. Christ as Savior of Souls, icon from the church of Saint Clement
Ohrid, Macedonia – early 14th century

41. Annunciation, reverse of two sided icon from church of Saint Clement
Ohrid, Macedonia – early 14th century

42. Andrei Rublyev: Three angels (Old Testament Trinity)
ca. 1410

43. Large sakkos of Photius
ca. 1417

44. Comparison Section

45. Compare the image of Empress Irene from the Pala d’Oro with the mosaic of
Theodora from San Vitale. What charcteristics identify them both as Byzantine?
Theodora from San Vitale (Fig )
Empress Irene (Fig )

46. What stylistic features of the Annunciation from Ohrid, Macedonia link the image to the
Byzantine style as seen in the fresco from the chapel of the Church of Christ in Chora in
Istanbul (Anastasis)?
Anastasis (Fig )
Annunciation (Fig )

47. Rublyev’s Old Testament
Compare the scenes from the Paris Psalter and Rublyev’s Old Testament Trinity with the
classical painting from the Ixion Room in Pompeii. What similarities and what differences
do you see? Note the way the space is depicted and the way the figures are modeled. What
features of the Paris Psalter show the influence of classical painting?
Paris Psalter (Fig )
Rublyev’s Old Testament
Trinity (Fig )
Ixion Room in Pompeii (Fig )