1. Christ Seated
Not a Q-card-just for information

2. ROMAN in style, CHRISTIAN in subject
youthful, unbearded Christ, wearing a Roman tunic and sandals sitting on a throne.
Statue is unique b/c it is one of the rare examples of Early Christian statuary.
Free-standing sculpture looked on w/ suspicion b/c of pagan cult statues
ROMAN in style, CHRISTIAN in subject

3. Old. St. Peter’s Basilica (no longer standing), 322-27 CE
Started by Constantine. Narthex=entrance porch, Nave=congregational area, Clerestory=upper level under the ceiling with windows, columns in nave that created the side aisles were from Roman temples (reuse, repurpose, expressed dominance over old forms of worship by forcing pagan architectural elements like columns to pay service to a new god), men and women did not worship together at this time. Men were in the center of the nave and women were in the side aisles

5. Plan
Axial plan-symmetry along an axis

6. Roman basilicas were the models for early Christian churches
Builders added a transept to look like cross
Old St. Peter’s was commissioned by Constantine-built on site where St. Peter was believed to be buried
Model for basilicas all over world.
Plain outside, beautiful inside
Contrast was to remind Christians that the beauty of the inner spirit was more important than the external beauty.

7. Reconstruction Drawing (Interior)
Columns supported an architrave which lined the nave-creating a nave colonnade. Another row of columns created double side aisles. Roofs were supported by wooden rafters. Sarcophagi and tombs lined the side aisles. Transept was innovative-provided space for clergy serving the church and helped to accommodate visitors to St. Peter’s tomb. Could hold 4, 000 visitors and was the largest church in Christendom until 11th century

8. Santa Sabina, Rome, Italy. c. 422

9. Interior of Santa Sabina, Rome, Italy

10. Modeled after Roman basilicas
Features a timbered ceiling like Old St. Peter’s
Columns down the sides were usually taken from pagan temples.
Corinthian columns lead eye to apse

11. Santa Costanza, Rome, Italy. c. 350

12. Interior of Santa Costanza

13. Plan and section
Ambulatory-barrel vaulted circular pathway

14. Originally a mausoleum, now a church.
Central-Plan design.
Originally based off of old Myceneaen tholos tombs
The building parts are of equal dimensions around the center –radiates out from the middle equally
Originally a mausoleum, now a church.
used as a tomb for Constantine’s daughter, Constantina.

15. 12 sets of columns are placed along the ambulatory.
Tall rotunda w/ a circular barrel-vaulted passageway called an ambulatory
designed so that visitors could pass by without disturbing the mass.
12 sets of columns are placed along the ambulatory.
The columns represent the 12 apostles.
Columns have composite capitals

16. Mosaics in Churches
The mosaics glistened on the inside walls and gave off a “heavenly” appearance
Reflective tesserae was used instead of Roman opaque glass. Could be angled to accent one area or figure.
Tesserae-small pieces of limestone or marble

17. Parting of Lot and Abraham mosaic, church of Maria Magiorre
One of a series of mosaic scenes that decorate the nave wall of the church. Biblical story in the book of genesis of the parting of Abraham from his nephew Lot as they choose opposing paths.

18. Toga clad men share a look and turn away from each other
Tesserae mosaic about the Genesis story of Abraham and nephew Lot parting ways
Lot to Sodom and Abraham to Canaan
Toga clad men share a look and turn away from each other
Illusionistic style
Overlapping heads
Hint of perspective
Sense of environment
One of a series of mosaic scenes that decorate the nave wall of the church. Biblical story in the book of genesis of the parting of Abraham from his nephew Lot as they choose opposing paths. They were together on the same land with their flocks and herds and tents-but not enough land for everybody.

19. Miracle of Loaves and Fishes, Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy
Basilica church

20. Jesus is dressed in gold and purple- imperial colors
Jesus is performing the miracle of the loaves and fishes-with minimal details
Jesus is dressed in gold and purple- imperial colors
He is identified by the NIMBUS- halo around holy figures- cross shaped halo that signifies his divinity.
Directly facing the viewer, rigid formality
Miracle of loaves and fishes-story where Jesus fed 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. Kept replenishing after Jesus gave thanks to God. Passed baskets around and were satisfied.

21. Figures are becoming floating, flattened symbols instead of real people in real space
Drapery shadows are narrow bars
Gold --spiritual choice for background-environment not really important
This mosaic shows the beginnings of Byzantine style-transitional piece

22. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy

23. Exterior-plain and somber Interior-brilliantly colored mosaics
Galla Placidia was an empress who ruled the Western Roman Empire in mid 5th c.
Small cruciform church with domed covered crossing and barrel vaulted arms
Exterior-plain and somber
Interior-brilliantly colored mosaics
Christ as the Good Shepherd here
Smarthistory video-good helps explain the split of the Roman empire and about Galla Placidia

24. Christ as the Good Shepherd, Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy

25. Byzantine Background
After the death of Constantine in 337, the Roman Empire was split into Eastern and Western Empires.
The Western Empire went into a steady decline. Rome lost its power and was eventually sacked by Germanic tribes.
The Eastern Empire, with its capitol in Constantinople, gained great political strength.
The art and culture of the Eastern Empire is known as Byzantine. Western Empire focused around Rome, spoke Latin, and was Roman Catholic. Eastern Empire spoke Greek and was Eastern Orthodox Christian.

26. He established Ravenna on the east coast as the new center of power.
In 527, Justinian ascended the throne of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine Empire.
He established Ravenna on the east coast as the new center of power.
During his reign “The Golden Age of Byzantine”, many beautiful churches and mosaics were built
Byzantine artists worked for 1000 years creating glittering, heavenly works of art
There is a good video on Justinian on Park’s APAH site

27. Emperors and God
No separation of church and state in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Emperors were considered to be Christ’s substitute on earth. They believed that the imperial will was God’s will.
Justinian was a theocratic ruler- divine ruler
Byzantine emperors were like pharoahs or ancient god-kings

28. Barberini Ivory

29. Christ is blessing Justinian indicating approval of his rule.
Justinian is on horseback with Christ above him--his power is divinely granted from God.
Christ is blessing Justinian indicating approval of his rule.
Features that were adopted from the Roman past:
On horseback (equestrian statues)
Dynamic twisting postures
Emperor as a triumphant general

30. St. Michael the Archangel (right leaf of a diptych)

31. Classical influences:
Flowing clingy drapery
Facial type and stylized hair
Delicately incised wings
Prototype of Michael was thought to have been a pagan winged victory (remember Nike?)

32. New compositional devices:
Feet hovering over the steps- like floating
Upper body is in front of the columns and the lower body is behind them
Real anatomy wasn’t important, the anatomy of the spirit was!

33. Holding an imperial orb and scepter
The globe surmounted by the cross is a symbol for Christianity’s triumph
Holding an imperial orb and scepter
Might have been presenting it to Justinian
Imperial orb symbolizes Christ’s dominion over the world (orb)
Scepter is an ornamental staff-sometimes symbolizing divinity
Greek inscription on top. Carved from large tusk. Width was so large that it exceeded the shape of the tusk, which is why it’s angled.

34. Anthemius and Isidorus, Church of Hagia Sophia

36. Built in Constantinople
Means Church of Holy Wisdom
Patron: Justinian
Architects: Anthemius and Isodorous
Construction material: Brick, masonry

37. Plan and Layout A domed basilica with two half domes on either side
Plain exterior- elaborate interior
Turkish minarets were added when the Muslims conquered Constantinople and changed the church to a mosque.
Muslims painted over the mosaics inside, which were golden glass that was supposed to give off the feeling of heaven.
Now a museum of Byzantine art

38. Layout floor plan of hagia sophia

39. Innovations
Dome is supported by pendentives-concave triangular pieces of masonry used to support the weight of the dome at four corner piers.
The dome is circular and rests on a rectangular base. This created more space inside.

40. New way to support the dome, instead of using a drum like the Pantheon.

41. Hagia Sofia (interior)

42. Interior dome

43. Main light source: dome has halo of lights around it, 40 windows
Created this mystical effect which made it look like the dome was resting on a halo of light
***LIGHT is considered to be the visual image of God!

44. Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

45. Patron: Justinian
Built in honor of St. Vitalis, a Roman slave and martyred in the 2nd century it is unlike any other church in Italy.
Centrally planned (like Santa Constanza) - the parts are almost equal dimensions around the center. 2 concentric octagons with a dome.

46. The plan has an unusual feature in that the narthex is at an odd angle.
It’s never been understood why it was placed at this angle.