for Senior High School - Arts and Design Track

1. Medieval Art: Early
Christian Art and
Byzantine Art

2. Medieval Art: Early Christian Art and
Byzantine Art

3. An Introduction to Early Christian Art

4. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
The Shift from “Realism” to “Religion”
 After the fall of the Western (Roman Empire), the style of art changed
dramatically. Creating ideals and opportunities took a backseat to teaching
the narratives and symbolism of Christianity
The Parts of the Christian Churches
Central Plan vs. Basilica Plan
 Originally, there were two basic types of Christian Church Plans. Knowing
these plans (and why they were designed as such) should aid you in
learning how the needs of Christianity affected these layouts

5. Late Antiquity / Early Christian

6. Early Christian
Throughout Art History, The Life of Jesus Christ is broken down
into three major categories
 INCARNATION: The events surrounding Christ’s conception, birth,
infancy and Childhood.
 MINISTRY: Key events include the calling of the twelve apostles,
performing miracles and giving sermons
 PASSION: The events which include Christ’s arrest, trial,
crucifixion, resurrection and ascension

7. Early Christian
 The term “Early Christian” refers to the preserved works of the first five
centuries
 For the first THREE centuries after Christ’s death, Roman authorities
banned Christianity and often persecuted Christians.
 During the period, Christians concealed their religious practices by
digging tunnels outside of Rome.
 Known as Catacombs, these tunnels were underground passageways
where early Christians could worship and bury their dead.
 The catacombs extended up to 90miles and as deep as five levels.

8. Early Christian

9. Early Christian
Mausoleum of Galla
Placidia (Mausoleo di
Galla Placidia)

10. Early Christian
Interior - Mausoleum of Galla
Placidia - Ravenna

11. Early Christian
Icon of the Good Shepherd (Mosaic) (Ravenna, 5th
c.)

12. Early Christian
suicide of Judas and crucifixion of
Christ plaque from a casket, ivory,
c.a. 420

13. Early Christian
ROMAN SARCOHAGUS
Figures are references to
Mythology or
Government

14. Early Christian
EARLY CHRISTIAN
SARCOPHAGUS
Stories and references to Christ
(Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c.
359)

15. Please Note:
All the following examples
are from 3rd and 4th
Century Christian
Sarcophagi

16. 1. How can I identify Jesus in early Art?
Jesus was often
depicted using a
wand during His
miracles

17. Early Christian
EARLY CHRISTIAN SARCOPHAGUS
Raising Lazarus, miracle at Cana, multiplication of loaves, and the
widow's son

18. 2. How can I identify Jesus in early Art?
Before the two
decades of the 4th
century, Jesus was
often Beardless

19. Early Christian

20. 3. How can I identify Jesus in early Art?
Jesus was usually
depicted with longer
hair than the men
around him

21. Early Christian

22. 3. How can I identify the Biblical scenes on a
sarcophagus?
With close attention
to details, you can
recognize most of the
iconography.

23. Early Christian
Jesus changed jugs of
water into wine

24. Early Christian
Jesus multiplied bread
in baskets

25. Early Christian
Jesus, Peter and the
crowing cock

26. Early Christian
Jesus raised Lazarus
from the tomb. Mary
fell at his feet.

27. Early Christian
Baby Jesus in the
manger.

28. Early Christian
Jesus healed the
woman with issue of
blood who touched his
hem

29. Early Christian
Abraham about to
sacrifice Isaac

30. Early Christian
Moses received a scroll
of the Law.

31. Early Christian
This was the tomb of a
man named
“Claudiano”.

32. Early Christian
This was the portrait of
Claudiano.

33. Early Christian
Some scenes are less
well known to us, but
most art historians
agree what they
depict.

34. Early Christian
An Apostle—Peter or
Paul—was arrested

35. Early Christian
There is no agreement,
however, about this
female figure.

36. Early Christian
This female figure,
called the Orante,
appeared often in the
earliest Christian art.

37. Early Christian
Graydon F. Snyder says,
“In the Christian
culture that emerged
about A.D. 180, no
symbol occurs more
frequent and integrally
than this female figure
with lifted arms.”

38. Early Christian
Snyder says, “She must
be the most important
symbol in early
Christian art.”

39. Early Christian
Some say she is the
symbol of Piety.

40. Early Christian
Others say she is the
symbol of the Church.

41. Early Christian
Some call her the
portrait of a dead
woman. But here she
appears on the tomb
of a man

42. Early Christian
In the 1800s, some
researchers suggested
early Christians knew
her as Mary.

43. Byzantine Art: Chronology
Early Byzantine: 5th – 8th Centuries
Middle Byzantine: 9th – 13th
Centuries
Late Byzantine: 13th - 15th Centuries

44. Byzantine Art
Byzantine Basics: Three F’s and a G
 FLAT: Although the artist includes some shading figures appear flat,
lacking volume that was common with Classical Art.
 FLOATING: Figures appear to hover over the ground. Note the
pointed 45 degree angle of the feet.
 FRONTAL: Unlike the realistic overlapping seen in most Classical Art,
Byzantine figures are usually turned toward the viewer.
 GOLD Byzantine Art shows very little interest in a background.
Byzantine Art focusses more on conveying Christian
teaching and depicting important figures than on representing the
BACKGROUN
D:

45. Byzantine Art
Basilica of San Vitale,
Ravenna, c547.
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
San Vitale
Commissioned by Bishop Ecclesus
when Italy was still under
Ostrogothic rule, but only
completed after Justinian’s
conquest of Ravenna
Octagonal-shaped building with
exedrae that extend but from the
building.
Most notable is the interior.

46. Byzantine Art Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547. (PLAN)
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna

47. Byzantine Art Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547.
(INTERIOR)
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna

48. Byzantine Art Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547. (CLOSE-
UP OF APSE)
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna

49. Byzantine Art Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547.
(CHARACTERISTICS)
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Golden Background
Hierarchy
No perspective
The folds of the clothes hide the
body
Flat
Spatial representation not

50. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Evolution of Byzantine
Painting
 Importance of Icons
 Less Realistic
 More Symbolic
 Priority: Spiritual rather than
the Natural

51. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna,
c425-26 AD
EARLY CHRISTIAN
Emperor Justinian and his
Attendants,
Church of San Vitale, c547
BYZANTINE

52. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Sculpture
 No large scale statues
 No in the statues
 Ivory and precious metal
 Small size
 Reliefs

53. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
About one hundred years after the
Iconoclasm, worshippers began to
make diptychs and triptychs to be
used for private devotion and prayers.
Hinges allowed them to be folded for
transport.
The Harbaville Triptych is a good
example of such a piece
Made of ivory. It contains an
enthroned Christ flanked by the
Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.
Harbaville Triptych, c. 950 CE.

54. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
ICONS:
Devotional panel depicting a
sacred image.

55. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Pantocrator, 1180-1190, Cathedral,
Monreale, Sicily
Pantocrator: Literally
“ruler of the world”, a
term that alludes to a
figure of Christ placed
above the altar or in the
center of a dome in a
Byzantine Church.

56. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Theotokos, apse mosaic, Hagia
Sophia, Constantinople, 867
Mary
 Very strong
codification
 Hieratic
 Body Concealed
beneath a blue robe
 Large eye
 Small Mouth
 Theotokos “God
Bearer”
 Throne of wisdom

57. Byzantine Art
Ravenna Turismo
Basilica of San Vitale - Ravenna
Theotokos
Vigin Eleusa
(Tenderness)
Vladimir
Virgin, 12th
Century