Byzantine Art - St. Francis Preparatory School Art.pdfByzantine Art The Hagia Sophia, Mosaics, and...
Transcript of Byzantine Art - St. Francis Preparatory School Art.pdfByzantine Art The Hagia Sophia, Mosaics, and...
• Built by the emperor
Justinian.
• “I have outdone Solomon!”
• Orthodox Church
• Largest dome in world at
time.
• Filled with mosaics.
• Showed glory of God and
Byzantine empire
• Built with government
money.
The 4 minarets were
added by Muslims later.
• Building impressed
foreigners with size and
splendor.
• Hagia Sophia convinced
Vladimir (ruler of Kiev) to
convert to Christianity.
• Vladimir thought
Byzantine God must be
powerful!
• Virtual Istanbul
Mosaics
• Designs formed by inlaid pieces of stone, glass, enamel, etc.
• Covered floors, walls, ceilings.
• Usually religious in nature.
• Figures appear stiff and artificial (not real)
Why just 2
Dimensions? • Images are usually not
3-dimensional.
• Byzantines believed
3D was a violation on
the 3rd Commandment:
“Carving Idols”