The document provides an overview of early Christian and Byzantine art from the 4th century to the 10th century. It discusses how art shifted from realistic styles to focus more on religious symbolism and narratives after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It also describes the two main church building plans - the basilica and central plans. Key artistic works are highlighted from the Early Christian period in Rome and the Byzantine period in Constantinople under Emperor Justinian, including illuminated manuscripts and icon paintings.

1. Early Christian &
Byzantine Art
Art Appreciation – ART1204
Professor Will Adams

2. The Shift From ‘Realism’ to ‘Religion’
After the Fall of the Western (Roman Empire), the style of art changed
dramatically. Creating ideals and proportions took a backseat to
teaching the narratives and symbolism of Christianity.
The Parts of the Christian Churches
Central Plan vs. Basilica Plan
Originally, there were two basic types of Christian Church plans. Knowing
these plans (and why they were designed as such) should aid you in learning
how the needs of Christianity affected these layouts.
Late Antiquity / Early Christian

3. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
330 - Constantine moved his capital to Byzantium and renamed it
CONSTANTINOPLE. Most pieces of Jewish Art were destroyed, and the Jewish
people often faced special taxes, restrictions and even persecution.
395 - The Roman Empire split permanently by Emperor Theodosius I into two
parts:
The WESTERN EMPIRE (Roman)
The EASTERN EMPIRE (Byzantine)
410 - Rome is sacked by the Visigoths.
476 - Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman emperor, is deposed by the
German Odoacer.
527 - Justinian becomes Eastern Roman emperor. Constantinople covers eight
square miles (Manhattan covers twenty-two square miles) with at least 500,000
inhabitants.
532--37 - Justinian builds the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
726 - Byzantine Emperor Leo III orders all icons in the Byzantine Empire
destroyed.
QuickTimeline

4. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
EARLY CHRISTIAN
Stories and references
to Christ
ROMAN SARCOPHAGUS
Figures are references to
Mythology or Government

5. Late Antiquity / Early Christian

6. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Jewish synagogues contained
almost no representational
sculpture because Jewish law
forbade praying to images or idols.
Decorative paintings and mosaics
were displayed on walls to denote
religious concepts.
Synagogue Floor, from Maon, Jerusalem. c 530.

7. Early Christian
Throughout Art History, The Life of Jesus Christ is
broken down into three major categories:
INCARNATION
MINISTRY
PASSION
The events surrounding Christ’s
conception, birth, infancy and
childhood.
Keys events include the calling of
the twelve apostles, performing
miracles and giving sermons.
The events which include Christ’s
arrest, trial, crucifixion, resurrection
and ascension.

8. Early Christian
The term ‘Early Christian’ refers to the
preserved works of the first five
centuries CE.
For the first THREE centuries after
Christ’s death, Roman authorities
banned Christianity and often
persecuted Christians.
During this period, Christians concealed
their religious practices by digging
tunnels outside of Rome.
Known as catacombs, these tunnels
were underground passageways where
early Christians could worship and bury
their dead.
The catacombs extended up to 90 miles
and as deep as five levels.

9. Early Christian
Roman Christians sometimes
decorated their catacomb
walls with frescoes depicting
the life and teachings of
Jesus.
The Catacomb of Priscilla
contains a particularly
revealing fresco that may
date to the 4th century.
Here, Christ is depicted as a
Good Shepherd, which refers
to a passage from the Gospel
of John in which Christ said,
“I am the good shepherd. A
good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep.”
The Good Shepherd Fresco, Catacomb of Priscilla,
Rome, c 320-340 CE. EARLY CHRISTIAN

10. Early Christian
Christ’s physical form is
based on Greco-Roman
models. He is youthful,
clean shaven and
clothed in a modest
classical tunic.
Christ even stands in a
classical contrapposto
pose and physically
resembles a young
Apollo.
The Good Shepherd Fresco,
Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome,
c 320-340 CE.
EARLY CHRISTIAN

11. Early Christian
Like their pagan
contemporaries, wealthy
Christians preferred to be
buried in marble
sarcophagi.
The richly carved
Sarcophagus of Junius
Bassius was made for an
important Roman official
who converted to
Christianity before his
death in 359.
This tends to be an
important piece as it
combines Christian themes
with Classical architectural
and figural elements.
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c 359.
EARLY CHRISTIAN

12. Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c 359. EARLY CHRISTIAN
Two registers, 10 panels of OLD and NEW Testament scenes…
Christ is depicted in center with Roman themes.

13. Sarcophagus with philosopher, Rome, Italy, ca 270. EARLY CHRISTIAN
Jesus is represented by two figures on the right,
the small child being baptized and the Shepherd to
his left.
The future ministry of Jesus is represented by the
turned head of the young boy to the Shepherd and
by the placement of his hand on one of the sheep.
This is Jesus as a child receiving a baptism in the River
Jordan even though he was baptized at age thirty.
Baptism was significant in the early centuries of Christianity
because so many adults were converted to the new faith in
this manner.
Early Christian

14. Ivory Carving
Suicide of Judas and Crucifixion of Christ,
plaque from a casket, ivory, ca 420
The narrative on the box begins with Pilate washing
his hands, Jesus carrying the cross on the road to
Calvary, and the denial of Peter, all compressed
into a single panel.
The plaque that is illustrated here is the next in the
sequence and shows, at the left, Judas hanging
from a tree with his open bag of silver dumped on
the ground beneath his feet. the Crucifixion is at the
right. The Virgin Mary and Joseph are to the left of
the cross.
On the other side Longinus thrusts his spear into
the side of the "King of the Jews."
The two remaining panels show two Marys and two
soldiers at the open doors of a tomb with an empty
coffin and the doubting Thomas touching the wound
of the risen Christ.
The figure of Christ does not appear to be in pain
because he is displayed on the cross, rather than
hung from it, as though he has conquered death
and does not suffer.
The contrast of Jesus whose body remains strong on the cross
contrasts with the body of his betrayer, Judas, hanging from a
tree with a limp body and a snapped neck. Visually and
symbolically, this image was meant to show Jesus as a strong
leader and not prone to pain or complete death.
Early Christian

15. Early Christian
Old St. Peter’s in Rome, completed by Constantine I around 324 AD.
EARLY CHRISTIAN

16. Early Christian
Narthex
Side Aisles
Clerestory
Nave
Apse
Triforium
BASILICA-PLAN CHURCH (West)

17. Early Christian
Santa Costanza, Rome, 350 AD.
CENTRAL PLAN CHURCH

18. Early Christian
CENTRAL-PLAN CHURCH (East)
See Hagia Sophia
Narthex
Side Aisles
Naos
Apse
Exedrae

19. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Santa Sabina, Rome, c422-432 AD EARLY CHRISTIAN

20. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Santa Sabina, Rome, c422-432 AD EARLY CHRISTIAN

21. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, c425-26 AD EARLY CHRISTIAN

22. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, c425-26 AD EARLY CHRISTIAN

23. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, c425-26 AD EARLY CHRISTIAN

24. Late Antiquity / Early Christian
Map showing collapse of Western Empire and Justinian’s reign

25. Byzantine Art
When Emperor Justinian decide to
build a church in Constantinople (the
greatest city in the world for 400
years), he wanted to make it as grand
as his empire.
He assigned the task to two
mathematicians, Anthemius and
Isidorus. They created the
Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”)
Nearly 3 football fields long, and the
dome is 180’ in diameter!
This architectural feat was
accomplished with the use of
pendentives.
Hagia Sophia, 532-537.
Istanbul, Turkey. BYZANTINE

26. Hagia Sophia, 532-537, Istanbul, Turkey. BYZANTINE
Byzantine Art

27. Byzantine Art

28. Large, decorated
pendentives inside the
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia, 532-537
Istanbul, Turkey. BYZANTINE
Byzantine Art

29. Byzantine Art
Byzantine Basics: Three F’s and a G
FLAT:
FLOATING:
FRONTAL:
GOLD
BACKGROUNDS:
Although the artist includes some shading, figures appear flat,
lacking volume that was common with Classical Art.
Figures appear to hover over the ground. Note the pointed 45-
degree angle of the feet.
Unlike the realistic overlapping seen in most Classical art,
Byzantine figures are usually turned toward the viewer.
Byzantine Art shows very little interest in a background.
Byzantine art focuses more on conveying Christian teachings and
depicting important figures than on representing the natural
world.

30. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia,
Ravenna, c425-26 AD
EARLY CHRISTIAN
Emperor Justinian and his
Attendants,
Church of San Vitale, c547.
BYZANTINE

31. Early Christian
San Vitale
Commissioned by Bishop
Ecclesius when Italy was still
under Ostrogothic rule, but only
completed after Justinian’s
conquest of Ravenna.
Octagonal-shaped building with
exedrae that extend out from the
building.
Most notable is the interior…
Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547.

32. Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547. BYZANTINE
Byzantine Art

33. Close-Up of Apse of Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547. BYZANTINE
Byzantine Art

34. Emperor Justinian and his Attendants, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547.
Byzantine Art

35. Empress Theodora and her Attendants, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, c547.
Byzantine Art

36. Byzantine Art
The Barberini Ivory illustrates how
early Byzantine art borrowed from
symbols of Classical art.
The figure, identified as Justinian,
rides victoriously similar to the
Marcus Aurelius Equestrian
statue, with conquered enemies
making offerings in the bottom
panel.
Although the figures are not
proportional as they would be in
Classical art, the piece connects
the conquests of Justinian with the
peace of Christ.
Barberini Ivory, c. 550 CE.
BYZANTINE

37. Icons were items used as vehicles for prayer
to God.
Among some of the finest were images of
Virgin Mary, known as Theotokos (bearer of
God).
She was also known as the Seat of Wisdom,
often holding a baby Jesus in her lap.
During the iconoclasm of the 8th century,
most icons like this were destroyed, but a few
like this in Mount Sinai, Egypt, survived.
This picture is painted with encaustic, which is
a pigment with melted wax.
Virgin and Child Between the Saints
Icon, c. 575 CE. BYZANTINE
Byzantine Art

38. Byzantine Art
About one hundred years
after the Iconoclasm,
worshippers began to make
diptychs and triptychs to be
used for private devotion and
prayers.
Hinges allowed them to be
folded for transport.
The Harbaville Triptych is a
good example of such a
piece.
Made of ivory, It contains an
enthroned Christ flanked by
the Virgin Mary and St. John
the Baptist.
Harbaville Triptych, c. 950 CE. BYZANTINE

39. THE END