BYZANTINE ART

Theories & Interpretations

• Byzantine is deeply rooted in the traditions of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Orthodox Christian faith.

• Icons, mosaics, and frescos are not just decorative but serve as windows to the divine, offering believers a way to connect with the sacred.

• Light plays a crucial role in art, especially for mosaics and icons. The use of gold backgrounds symbolize the divine light of heaven.

• Icons are not just portraits but are considered to educate, guiding believers in prayer and contemplation, symbols are used to help the illiterate understand the religious messages.

• The use of imperial imagery or depicting the ruler within Christian narratives show a close link to the concept of emperor as God's representative on earth, reinforcing his authority.

• The Iconoclastic Controversy (726 -843 CE) represents a significant conflict on whether religious images were appropriate in Christian worship, arguing that the images led to idolatry or false idols. Eventually the use of icons was restored but it led to a more rigid and codified iconography.

Style Characteristics

• Departure from the naturalism of classical art to more abstract and stylized forms, figures are often flat with rigid frontal poses, elongated bodies, almond-shaped eyes, and colemn expressions, symbolizing the spiritual over the earthly

• Figures are generally static with minimal sense of movement, this conveys a message of stillness in the eternal, unchanging truth

• Littel attention is paid to spatial realism with often flat backgrounds and no concern for perspective

• Often includes detailed decorative patterns, seen in borders and clothing

• Hierarchial composition with holy figures seen in the center and much larger in scale/proportion

• Use of gold and shimmering mosaic glass was seen as a mystical experience, creating a otherworldly atmosphere within churches

• The vibrant colors are symbolic with blue representing the heavens, red divine loe or martyrdom, and green indicating eternal life

• Compositions are often symmetrial and highly organized with figures arranged in a clear formal order, creating a sense of stability

• Byzantine churches are often decorated with mosaics of small colored glass