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The Byzantine Empire is broken into three main eras:
According to the Christian church, religious icons are not the same as idols. In fact, idol worship was forbidden according to Jewish law. Many adherents to Christianity, which has its roots in Judaism, were uncomfortable with the veneration of images in the early centuries of Christianity. They thought of it as a form of idolatry. At some point, however, the distinction was made between the veneration of images and use of images for prayer and meditation versus worshiping the idols themselves.
EXAMPLE
Take a look at this example of Christian iconography from the sixth century AD:
This above painting of the Theotokos, or Virgin Mary, and the child Jesus with saints and angels is located at the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai. It is an encaustic painting, which means the paint is made of a pigment suspended in a beeswax binder. Unlike tempera paint, which is limited in its blending capabilities, encaustic paint can be blended together more easily to create greater variations in color.
Mary is the central figure of this image, and functions as a sort of throne for the baby Jesus. Jesus is known by Christians as the King of Kings. He and his mother are flanked by two saints, Theodore and George, both warrior saints who are said to have killed dragons, which is likely symbolism for Jesus conquering evil.
Notice how Mary, Jesus, and the angels in the background are rendered in a way that hints at depth and volume, while the saints are rather flat in their appearance, despite the very detailed and rather realistic-looking robes. All figures have halos surrounding their heads, but only the four in front have golden halos, which perhaps is an indication of their status with respect to the angels behind them.
Transfiguration refers to the moment when a person changes from mortal to divine. Here, this is in reference to Jesus’ prophesized rise from the dead.
EXAMPLE
Take a look at this image of the transfiguration of Jesus, also located in the monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai from 554-565 AD:
This above image is an interesting depiction in a number of ways. First, Christ, who is shown radiating light, is surrounded by a dark blue mandorla, as opposed to the usual gold coloring. Instead, the artist chose to color the entire background gold, opting not to include any type of landscape or indication of depth and space. For example, there are no shadows cast, even in the presence of all that light.
Some scholars have suggested that this was intended, due to its use as an icon meant to evoke a quality that has no connection to a physical time or place.
The heavenly images of Christ and the prophets Elijah and Moses that flank him are rather serene and composed compared to the disciples John, Peter, and James, who appear to be very scared.
Notice the way in which the ground line appears. Generally speaking, the ground line is an element that sort of defines the edge of a picture. But if you look carefully, you can see how some of the figures are behind it. The two prophets, however, are stepping over it. The central disciple is actually straddling it.
During the eighth century a ban on religious imagery was enacted under the reign of Emperor Leo III. Iconoclasm refers to the destruction or deconstruction of religious imagery and icons. Examples of iconoclasm can be found throughout history. The Byzantine Empire experienced two periods of iconoclasm, the first in the eighth century and the second during the ninth century. The end of the second period of iconoclasm in Byzantium marked the beginning of the middle Byzantine period in 843 AD.
If we jump ahead towards the end of the middle Byzantine period, we can take a look at this next religious image.
EXAMPLE
This image is of the Virgin Mary and child, called “The Virgin of Vladimir” due to it being located in Russia.
This image of the Virgin Mary and child was likely created in Constantinople, and it is an example of tempera paint on wood. Remember, tempera paint is limited in its ability to blend with other colors, so the tendency is to paint with tiny or smaller brush strokes. This can come across as flat in its appearance or lacking in the depth that is possible with other types of paint.
Compared to the encaustic painting from earlier in this lesson, this painting seems rather two-dimensional or flat. The theme of a tender scene between a mother and child is common in artwork. Notice the depiction of Jesus. Until the Renaissance, more often than not, Jesus is depicted as a tiny adult in appearance.
There are exceptions, of course. In fact, the encaustic painting from earlier depicts Jesus with a much more natural set of proportions, like those of a small child. It’s an interesting stylistic choice, though, that you see returning again and again in religious imagery. It is believed to be an intentional Christian suggestion of Christ’s inherent perfection, that even though he’s a child, he’s still the savior of mankind.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY IAN MCCONNELL FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. Please see our Terms of Use.
