Byzantine Art - 1 Architecture

• published: 23 Apr 2015
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The translation of the capital to Constantinople and the division of the Roman Empire are two fundamental facts for Western art history. The Roman art, when has contact with eastern and hellenic elements, it transforms. The importance of Byzantium is enormous, both for their own artistic creations and for being transmitting of the Eastern Christianity. In it receives the dome decoration, monumental decoration carved in two planes, a taste for the grandiose proportions, luxury, and a large number of iconographic themes. In Byzantine Art there are three periods: the first is from the time of Emperor Justinian (VI century); the second is after the iconoclastic crisis, and is the best in creations of iconographic themes (IX to XII centuries); and the last is a rebirth, from the XIV century, which is truncated by the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, but continues to persist in the following centuries in Orthodox countries. The Byzantine architecture appears already formed in the VI century, in times of Justinian. Its features are the use of the dome on pendentives, which receives from the East, and brick as a building material. The column has cubic capitals in an inverted pyramid form, with vegetal decoration and strong effects of lighting. Constantinople Walls of Constantinople: three defensive lines with pits and circular, quadrangular and pentagonal towers. Basilica Cistern: it is a water tank configured as a columns forest. Hippodrome of Constantinople: it was built next to the Imperial Palace and happened chariot races. Here are the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Obelisk of Constantine (black), and the Serpent Column. First period. The firsts and most important churches. Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus: this church is also called the Little Hagia Sophia due that it was just an experiment for the later great Hagia Sophia. The weight rests on a discharge system through more domes and side niches. Space on two floors. Highlights the interior decoration. Hagia Sophia: square plant with a large central dome on pendentives, drilled at the bottom with windows that produce a luminous effect. The dome rests on four arches, supported in turn by four pillars. Two half-domes make buttress of the central dome and open walls are insured by buttresses. It also has some beautiful mosaics. The beauty of this building, says Procopius, is because the harmony. The decoration looks for to seem the Celestial Jerusalem of the Apocalypse of Saint John. Hagia Eirene: it is covered by a dome and equipped with two domes, culminating in its east side with three large windows with arch open point in the apse. San Vitale: octagonal plant, construction made with brick. The most important of this building is the interior decoration (see Mosaic and Painting chapter). Saint Apollinaris in Classe: basilical plant, three naves divided by arcades. Decoration with mosaics. Saint Apollinaris Nuovo: the same. Saint Catherine's Monastery: it is in Mount Sinai and the most important about this place is the decoration (see Mosaic and Painting chapter). Second period. Utilization of dome on drum. Saint Andrew: I have not found much information about this one. Anyway, what is important here are the mosaics. Hagia Theotokos: greek cross plant. Dome on the cruise, and others, smaller, in the arms of the cross, preceded by a portico, also with domes. Daphni Monastery: near Athens, is a basilica with dome on squinches, rather than on pendentives. Basilica of Saint Mark: in Venice. It is built on the model of the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, with the novelty of adding at the foot a domed portico. Saint Sophia (Kiev): rectangular plant with naves ending in two apses. From this moment the Russian art will remain tributary of the Byzantine art. Third period. News here are mostly in decoration. Church of the Holy Apostles: it is in Thessaloniki. Five-domed cross-in-square, with four supporting columns. It also features a narthex with a U-shaped peristoon (an ambulatory with galleries), with small domes at each corner. There are also two small side-chapels to the east. Nice decoration. Saint Sophia (Novgorod): five domes church. It is the oldest cathedral of Russia. We can begin to speak about Russian art here. Music: Gregorian Chant -Lament for the Fall of Constantinople Photos taken in Google images. No copyright infringement intended.