1. Early Christian and Byzantine Art Vocabulary
Catacomb: Cubicula
Synagogue
Basilica
Evangelists
Nave
Apse
Buttress
Putto/Putti
Catacomb
Orant
Sarcophagus
Narthex
Transept
Codex
Illuminated Manuscript
Parchment/vellum
Chalice/patten
Pendentives
Icons
Iconoclasts/iconophiles
Chi-rho

2. Judaic, Synagogue at Dura Europos, Syria, 244-245 CE
The Synagogue discovered in Dura-Europos is one of the temples of the various religions existing in Dura at that time. It shows that there were a few Jewish families. Some were Christians and the rest of the population had adopted other religions prevailing in the Roman Period. The interior has mural paintings in four rows. The three upper rows depict scenes from the Old Testament, whereas the lower one shows a tiger, a lioness and a mask not relating to the upper scenes. The ceiling of the Synagogue is decorated with terracotta square slabs bearing motifs incarnating flora in human forms, or forms of flowers, roses, fruits and corn-ears etc.

3. The Exodus from Egypt
This panel illustrates key events of the Exodus in a triptych moving from right to left. The right portion shows Moses leading the people of Israel as they leave behind Egypt, with its doors open. In the center of the panel, Moses has raised his hand, apparently holding a rod, over the sea to destroy the pursuing Egyptians (Exod 14:26-29). On the left Moses appears with the people of Israel, organized in twelve tribes, at his right hand. They have safely crossed through the Sea under the care of God, whose protecting hands overshadow them.

4. Roman Catacombs, Late Roman
Early 4th century
Not a fun place to be-not used for regular worship, but just for burial
Art is created rapidly under miserable conditions

5. Early Christian, Three Hebrew Youths in the Fiery Furnace, Early 3rd Century, Catacomb of Pricilla, Rome

6. Many different scenes all separated by a thin line
Content is important because it shows how Christian images derive from Jewish images
Themes of Salvation and peace in the afterlife
Good Shepherd is a classical image: Calfbearer, offering sacrifice, as well as a God who cares for his flock
Brings to mind a peaceful afterlife (Christ referred to himself as a Good Shepherd)
Orant figure is of Prayer to any god
Jonah and the Whale comes from Jewish Narrative-old testament books of Jewish Law
Christianity comes out of Jewish religion which rarely depicted god-2nd commandment
Images of one who is saved after death-Jonah and Whale
Christianity had no artistic vocabulary of their own-it’s a young religion with a bible just becoming organized into a volume
Christians take OT and suit it to NT so that Jonah becomes a Christ-like figure being saved after death
Early Christian, Catacomb of Ss. Peter and Marcelinus, Rome, 4th century

7. Images often speak to members of all faiths
Christianity has no individual imagery-it evolves by using borrowed images from Pagan and Judaism
Orant figure-possible to all faiths
Menorah, Jewish
Hercules and Cerberius with Alcestis and Hades

8. Early Christian, Sarcophagus of Maria Antigua, 270

9. Relief detail from a marble sarcophagus of a vintage scene, ca
Relief detail from a marble sarcophagus of a vintage scene, ca. 3rd century, Rome

10. Early Christian, Good Shepherd, late 3rd century, Rome

11. Early Christian, Old Saint Peter’s, Rome, ca. 320
Narthex
Transept
aisles
313 edict of Milan legalized Christianity
325 Council of Nicaea declared official state religion
Paganism declines rapidly and Christians are allowed to practice anywhere they want
Need for public churches-most outside perimeter of City since Christianity wasn’t predominant before the Council of Nicaea-cover catacombs
St. Peter’s is in the city because it covers the supposed site of St. Peter’s Burial
Christianity takes even architecture and adapts it to suit its needs.
Very plain exterior like the Aula palatine
Many people can get a good look at the ritual from this building
Destroyed in 15th century

12. Late Roman, Aula Palatina, Trier, Germany, 4th cent.
Typical Roman meeting hall, for public use, not Christian or Religious
Traditional Basilica style in Germany where Constantine constructed his new palace
Traditional Roman materials: wood, bricks, and stucco for a lighter surface
NO side aisles, need buttresses for open windows that weaken the walls, 95 feet tall

13. Nave
Apse
Will be used by later Christians

14. Early Christian, Santa Sabina, Interior, Rome, 422-32
See interior of something like St. Peter’s
Filled with mosaics or frescos
Windows above, corinthian columns and arcades, apse and triumphal arch
Early Christian, Santa Sabina, Interior, Rome,

15. Christ as Good Shepherd, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 425

16. Martyrdom of St. Lawrence, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 425

17. Santa Costanza, Rome, ca. 337-351

18. Elevation and Plan, Santa Costanza
Central Plan
Greek cross

19. Early Byzantine, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, 532-537
Sits on a hill to hover over the city like the heavens
270’ long by 240 wide and 180 feet from top of dome to floor
108’ diameter of the dome
Dome collapsed after 20 years-too wide to be supported
Round dome on square building
Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus 19

20. Dome rests on a series of windows that appear to be a halo of heavenly light
Light causes the mosaics to sparkle and shine-very spiritual interior
Central plan causes emperor to be involved in the ritual and religious function
Segregates others in the congregation
Names the emperor in its decoration 20

23. Pendentives

24. San Vitale, Ravenna,

25. Early Byzantine, San Vitale, Apse View, Ravenna, 526-47

26. Early Byzantine, Justinian and his Courtiers, San Vitale, 547
547-in a Church that was Arian
Ostragoths under Theodoric
Justinian reasserts himself as emperor over this land
Shows the role the emperor plays in the church-censer, patten, badge, purple robe, crown and halo
Bishop maximianus-labeled as the authority while the Emperor is in Constantinople
Off perspective-classicism
Early Byzantine, Justinian and his Courtiers, San Vitale, 547 26

27. Early Byzantine, Theodora and her Courtiers, San Vitale, 547
Racy life of Empress Theodora
NO way known to show a woman in power. Things have to be accomodated
Greater crown, taller, in a niche, purple, no badge-but the magi on the dress, holds chalice
Behind curtain, definite space, courtyard perhaps-shows rank beneath the emperor
Mixture of images of Authority and Femininity
Early Byzantine, Theodora and her Courtiers, San Vitale, 547 27

28. Early Byzantine, Virgin Enthroned with Saints Icon, 6th century
Tempera
Theotokos
Hieratic
Private and public use
Making of icons-mystical experience
Use of them-healing properties, devotion item medium
Different depictions of the Virgin and Child
Repainted due to blackening from smoke, repainted-faces left original
Presence of the saint
St. Theodore and George
Medalions 28

29. Iconoclasm

30. Middle Byzantine, Virgin and Child (Theotokos), Hagia Sophia, 867

31. Church of the Dormition, Nicaea, Greece, restored, 787

32. Christ as Pantocrator, church of the Dormition, Daphni, Greece, ca

33. Pantocrator, Church of the Dormition, Daphni, Greece, ca. 1100

34. Middle Byzantine, The Lamentation, Saint Pantaleimon, Macedonia, 1164
Not a scene in the bible
Emotions, gestures
John grabs his hand and looks at his face in disbeleif
St. Peter and Nicodemus mourn over the death as well, Angels weep and hover in the blue sky-lapiz
Change from a flat ground-environment
Rock, idea of space and time
Dramatic display becomes re-invented over the Renaissance 34

35. Virgin and Child (Theotokos), late 11th-early12th century, Russia
Virgin of Compassion

36. Middle Byzantine, St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice, 1063 begun
Variant of the central plan
Equal arms-Greek cross with five great domes
Stone domes gilded to be brilliant
Still looks back to the east for basiss of architecture
Built to house relics of St. Mark-earlier church destroyed by fire, this is the third on the same site
Middle Byzantine, St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice, 1063 begun 36

39. Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, Vienna Genesis, early 6th century
Codex
Illuminated manuscript
Folio
Vellum
Tempera

40. David Composing the Psalms, the Paris Psalter, ca. 950-970