Byzantine Art (Oxford History of Art)
by Robin Cormack
One Of The Best Introductions To The Subject
Mostly religious in function, but preserving the classicism of Greco-Roman
art, Byzantine buildings and art objects communicate the purity and
certainties of the public face of early Christian art. Focusing on the art of
Constantinople between 330 and 1453, this book probes the underlying
motives and attitudes of the society which produced such rich and delicate
art forms. It examines the stages this art went through as the city
progressed from being the Christian center of the Eastern Roman Empire,
to its crisis during attack from the new religion of Islam, to its revived
medieval splendor and then, after the Latin capture of 1204 and the
Byzantine reoccupation after 1261, to its arrival at a period of cultural
reconciliation with East and West.
Personal Review: Byzantine Art (Oxford History of Art) by Robin
Cormack
I was in search of an affordable book that featured color plates of the
greatest art of the Byzantine world, running the gamut from late Roman

times through the fall of Constantinople and Robin Cormack's excellent
work more than fit the bill. Indeed, this may be the perfect introductory
work on Byzantine art. Magnificently produced, the book is positively
littered with high-resolution color and black-and-white photos which show
amazing amounts of detail. Particularly stunning are the reproductions of
the various mosaics from inside the great church of Hagia Sophia in
Istanbul and from San Vitale in Ravenna.
The text of the book is descriptive and analytical. Though somewhat
scholarly in content, the writing is clear and the style is brisk. Enough
historical background is provided to make the book suitable for a reader
with little or no knowledge of Byzantine history. The devotional aspects of
Byzantine Art were handled dispassionately with no trace of secular
conceit--not always a given these days--and the Iconoclastic controversy
was well covered in commendable detail. My only minor quibble was that
the endnotes were buried amidst the back-matter and were somewhat
difficult to find.
Over all, Cormack's book will make an excellent textbook for courses in
Christian and Medieval Art, and a perfect supplemental text for general
Byzantine Studies courses. The lovely cover art and stunning interior
photos will also make it the kind of book that will be picked up and perused
by friends and family if left around the house.
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