The Temple of Herod, Jerusalem, Jewish Art, Architecture, 19 B.C.E-70 C.E

• Herod the Great: western wall (temple mount)

• Steps upward towards Heaven

• Ritual cleansing when entering

• Where Jesus went to pray

• Hierophany: appearance of the divine in the human realm

• Separated into courtyards (gender specific)

• Holy of Holies (most sacred room): Yom Kippur only day that only the high priest could enter

Moses and the Burning Bush (Dura Europas, Syria), 256, Mosaic, Jewish Art

• Presence of God (Hand breaking through)

• Heirophony: to reveal, sacred

• never see the face of God

• Current Roman visual landscape

• God for Jews is indescribable so we see other metaphors such as the hand of God

• Moses, wearing a toga, stands in contrapasso, looks like a modern man during that time

• art and architecture of christianity remains underground

Santa Sabina, (Rome), c. 333, Architecture, Early Christian

• church

• clear story with nave, side aisle

• flat wooden roof, arcade down center aisle, alongside arcade picture of chalice

• corinthian columns

• space is about the sacrifice of Jesus

• major theological move for early Christianity

Sarchophagus of Junius Bassus, (Rome), 359, marble sculpture, Early Christian

• Portrayal of Adam and Eve

• Marble Coffin

• Corinthian columns in the design

• Guy named Junius Bassus who held office buried here

• Classical muse in contrapasso stance

• Merged with Jewish and Christian stories

• typology→ looking to Hebrew bible for types that would prefigure Christian types. Merging of Jewish and Christian stories

Good Shepherd, (Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy), C. 425-426, mosaic, Early Christian

• Jesus as a shepherd

• do not see crucified Christ

• Crucifixion means of capital punishment

• show cross as symbol of triumph

Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, 547 C.E, architecture, Byzantine Art

• rounded, “centrally planned”

• unlike other churches we’ve looked at

• plain exterior but extremely decorative interior (mosaics)

Sacrifice of Issac, Church of San Vitale, 547 C.E, mosaics, Byzantine Art

• Abraham slaughtering his son Isaac as sacrifice

• Hand of God reaching in to stop the sacrifice

• Abraham’s wife Sarah is watching

• Angels are eating sacred meal on the alter

• Mosaic is over an altar, this^ symbolizes communion

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Justinian and his Attendants and Theodora and her Attendants, Church of San Vitale, 547 C.E, mosaics, Byzantine Art

• Facebook PAge :)

• Justinian unifies church and state

• Theodora-no army, women not allowed in altar area (even her)

• visually constructing his own identity

• ^communicates it to the outside world

• demonstrating power---army behind him and he’s front and center

• army present within the church

• boozing:)

Hagia Sophia, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletrus, Constantinople (Istanbul), 537, architecture, Byzantine Art

• largest building in the world for 1000 years

• *pendentives*-curved triangular structures that provide transition between an angular base and curved dome

• mystery of building impressive/intimidating to visitors

• monumental from Byzantine Empire and Justinian

• significant sacred pedigree  

Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels, Icon in Monastery of St. Catherine, 6th century, Encaustic on wood panel painting, Byzantine Art

• Icon: the likeness of holy figures (just a thing to know)

• Mary, Joseph, Christ, Angels

• *theotokos*-- “god carrier” (Mary)

• portable wood painting---taken to worship

• *proskynesis*-- prayed to this object, believe God is embedded in the works themselves.  Objects themselves powerful

• hand of God coming in again

• able to move to different areas

Crucifixion and Iconoclasts, Chludov Psalter, mid-9th c, illuminated manuscript, Byzantine Art

• *Iconoclasts*: those against religious images “breaking of images”

• shows man mocking Christ

• book of pslams

Christ Pantocrator, from Hagia Sophia Deesis panel,1261 mosaics, Byzantine Art

• Humanity of Christ (God becomes human) through use of colors. Shows Jesus older and bearded

• argues for the use of religious imagery

• notion of the incarnation

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, commissioned by Abd el-Malik, 692, Architecture, Islamic Art

Shoulder Clasp, gold, cloisonne, millefiori glass, 625-633, Anglo-Saxon Art

• Bring two pieces of fabric together to hold clothing

• predominately made of gold

• reflective, artistically picks up light  

• *cloisonne technique*: metal cavities, gold is threaded into a different patterns (filigree)

• framed geometrically, linear interlacing motif (animal/serpent)

• illuminating light

• checkerboard technique

• miilefiori: bloom of 1,000 flowers

• linear interlacing technique on the side

Purse Lid, whale-bone ivory, gold, cloisonne, millefiori glass, 625-633, Anglo-Saxon Art

• *cloisonne technique*: metal cavities, gold is threaded into a different patterns (filigree)

• predominately made of gold

• reflective, artistically picks up light

• Whale bone used as backdrop

• very symmetrical

• struggle between beast and man, struggle between animals

• serpentine motif

Belt Buckle, gold with black niello inlay, 625-633, Anglo-Saxon Art

• bring together two pieces of leather

• filigree

• predominately made of gold

• reflective, artistically picks up light

• framed geometrically, linear interlacing motif (animal/serpent)

• represents power--intimidating

St. Matthew, Book of Durrow, Carpet Page, illuminated manuscript on vellum, after 650 C.E, Hiberno-Saxon Art

• Carpet page: little to no text on an illuminated manuscript

• linear interlacing motif

• simplified to basic shapes

• Similar design to the shoulder clasp

• illuminated manuscript (written on animal skins: cow/calf [vellum], goat or sheep [Parchment])

• human form not as important as the design of the clothing

• human figure gives way to ordinance

Chi-Rho Page, Matthew’s Gospel, Book of Kells, vellum, 8th-9th century, Hiberno-Saxon Art

• illuminated manuscript (written on animal skins: cow/calf [vellum], goat or sheep [Parchment])

• carpet page

• zoomorphic→ means from the animal world

• mice, cats getting along

• circles lot of patterns of threes (symbolizing the trinity)

• St. Matthew→ winged man

• Kyro, head of man on the end

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Odo of Metz, Palatine Chapel, Aachen 791-805

• circular chapel with towers and lantern

• called palatine because it means “within the walls of the palace”

• repeating arches makes up center of structure

• ancient Roman columns

• as you come in entrance way you are under his throne which reiterates his rulership

• throne is also placed straight across from the altar

• painting of Jesus on a throne on the ceiling

Matthew the Evangelist, Coronation Gospels, illuminated manuscript, ink and colors on vellum, first quarter of 9th century, Carolingian Art

• comes from court of Charlemange

• St. Matthew writing the Gospel, holds ink well, has writing instrument, a book

• Looks as if he is a philosopher thinking and writing, look of contemplation, stoic look

• figuration of the human form, has volume, weight, and shading to create a sense of the figure occupying space

• halo around his head

Matthew the Evangelist, Ebbo Gospels, illuminated manuscript, ink and colors on vellum, second quarter of 9th century, Carolingian

• different from Coronation Gospels

• more detail on the body, but not necessarily realistic

• able to see more of the landscape

• concerned expression

• religious aspect more subtle than in the Coronation Gospels

• engulfed in sacred landscape

• beginning to break from classical conventions for a more expressive art

Bishop Bernward, Bronze Doors of St. Michaels of Hildenshiem, bronze 1015, Ottonian Art

• initially sculpted in wax which was then covered in a plaster, lost wax technique

• (breakdown of figures on back of handout)

• no longer dealing with Roman images, non naturalistic landscape

• Much more expressive human figure, see humanity in them

• use of crouching figures becoming much more common

Gero Crucifix, painted and gilded wood sculpture, 970, Ottonian Art

• changing image of Christ

• shows crucified Christ as becoming fully human because he is fully dead at this point

• expressiveness

• Dead corpse hanging on the cross

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St. Sernin (Toulouse, France), 1080-1120, Romanesque, Architecture

• building with roman arches---romanesque---roman form

• *barrell vault*---defines middle isle

• acoustic advantage to structure

• movement to stone masonry (very heavy, challenge for engineers)

• change in the exterior shows a movement from the simple early Christian design

• Huge contrast from Santa Sabina*****    

Gislebertus, Last Judgement, (Saint-Lazzare Cathedral, Autun, France), 1120-1145, Romanesque, relief sculpture

• post-lintel structure on door

• last judgment scene repeatedly portrayed in churches (over threshold)

• represents a pilgrimage

• broken into registers

• angels bringing people up to face their judgment (scales)

• people higher up have passed judgement---made it to heaven

• large claws to take the people up to be judged→ souls being weighed

• Two different realities of our lives

• simplification of human form----posture

Triumph of Maria Ecclesia (Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome), 1130-1143, Romanesque, mosaic

• Early Christian structure

• demonstrates symbols of Christ----cross, halos, sacrificial rams

• symbols to access mysteries of the divine

• Mary and Christ both on thrones (equal to christ)

• Mary in lavish clothing/jewlery making her a royal figure, holding an ancient scroll (transitional figure)

• “come my chosen one and I will place you upon my throne” → jesus’ scroll

• Mary: his left hand should be under my head and his right should embrace me

• Church named after Mary

Guda, Self-portrait (from a book of Homilies), 12th century, Romanesque, illuminated manuscript

• “Guda, a sinful woman, wrote and illuminated this book”

• female nun who signs her work

• first self-portrait signed by artist in art history

• woman of creative endeavour

• inside a sacred text/space

• looks at us, engages the viewer