Week 3:
Byzantium & Islam
ARTS 1303 6W, Art History
Byzantium
Intro to Byzantium
Map of Constantine's path to becoming Emperor
Spread of Christianity
Post-Constantine
Santa Costanza
Rome, Italy
c. 354 CE, Early Byzantine
Reconstruction of Original Mausoleum Floor Plan
Exterior of Santa Costanza
Interior of Santa Costanza with mosaic decoration
Floor plan & elevation of Santa Costanza
San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy
526-547 CE, Early Byzantine
Exterior of San Vitale showcasing octagonal design
Interior of San Vitale
Interior of San Vitale
showcasing elaborate
mosaics
The Great Schism of Christianity
A politically, culturally, & religiously divided Rome
Justinian expansion of the Byzantine Empire
Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey
533-537 CE, Justinian
Artist's rendering of Old St. Peter's Basilica
Interior of Hagia Sophia
Drawing of the Old St. Peter's Basilica Interior
Floor plan of Hagia Sofia (w/ Santa Costanza overlay)
Artist's rendering of the original Hagia Sophia interior
Making a Roman-Style Mosaic
Theodora & Her Attendants
San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy
c. 547 CE, Justinian
Mosaic of Justinian opposite of Theodora's within the church
Roman Naturalism vs Byzantine Abstraction
Four Icons from a Pair of Doors
Originally from Crete (possibly)
late-15th century CE
Late Byzantine
Paintings & Icons
The Baptism
(aka Epiphany)
late-15th century CE
Late Byzantine
The Qualities of Tempera vs Oil Paints
Harrowing of Hell
(aka Anastasis, or Resurrection)
late-15th century CE
Late Byzantine
The Gilding Process
Saint Nicholas
late-15th century CE
Late Byzantine
The Deësis Mosaic
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
13th century CE, Late Byzantine
Detail from the Deësis Mosaic
Christ as Savior of Souls
Saint Clement, Ohrid, Macedonia
14th century CE, Late Byzantine
Evolution of Byzantine style
Response Assignment:
Iconography
Based on our discussion of Byzantine iconography and its use, give five (5) examples of iconography from outside of this course.
For Example:
- A white lab coat indicates someone in a scientific profession, or medical position when combined with teal/blue scrubs.
- Leather jackets (with patches, studs, etc.) and extreme hairstyles are iconic of punk rock culture of the 1980s.
- Yellow paint with black lettering and stripes is typical for school busses.
Islamic Art
First, a clarification of Islam's relationship with violence via the Qur'an
Hadith Frequently Quoted to Justify Violence:
Paradise is under the shadow of the swords.
In Full Context:
Do not look for a fight with the enemy. Beg God for peace and security. But if you do end up facing the enemy, then show endurance and remember that Paradise is under the shadow of the swords.
-Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, 9th century CE, from Sahih al-Muslim
"Jihad" (جهاد) translates to "striving to achieve a goal"
Quranic Definition: Striving with one’s self and one’s money in the cause of God
If they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then God gives you no excuse to fight them
-The Qur'an, An-Nisa 4.90
Expansion of the Islamic World
The Islamic Empire in 750 CE
Qubbat As-Sakhrah, قبة الصخرة (aka "Dome of the Rock")
Jerusalem, West Bank
c. 687-692 CE, Umayyad Caliphate
Cross-Section of Quabbat As-Sakhrah Interior
The Ka'aba, Al-Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Mosaic Mihrab
Isfahan, Persia (originally)
c. 1354 CE, Sarbedaran Period
Example of a full qibla wall with minbar & mihrab
Mosaic Patterns on Exterior of Qubbat As-Sakhrah
Examples of Islamic Geometric Tile Design
Muqarnas Ceiling from Shah Mosque, Isfahan, Iran
Making Islamic Geometric Designs
Example of Arabic calligraphy
Symbols & logos using Arabic calligraphy
'Basmala' in Tuluth script
Al Jazeera logo
Emirates Airlines logo
'Basmala' in simple calligraphy
Umayyad Mosque (aka "Great Mosque of Damascus")
Damascus, Syria
706-715 CE, Umayyad Caliphate
Aerial View of the Umayyad Mosque
Panoramic views of the Umayyad Mosque Courtyard
Example of a Hypostyle Spaces
Interior of a mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Architectural Concept
Umayyad Mosque Interior
Mosque of Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
8th-10th centuries CE, Abbasid/Córdoba Caliphate
Expansion of the Mosque of Córdoba over time
Phase 5
Phase 4
Phase 3
Phase 2
Phase 1
Phase 6
Street-level view of the Mosque of Córdoba
Courtyard of the Mosque of Córdoba
Interior of the Mosque of Córdoba
Qibla wall of the Mosque of Córdoba (minbar out of frame)
Mihrab of the Mosque of Córdoba
Gilded dome above the qibla wall
Evidence of cultural shifts inside the Mosque of Córdoba
Baroque chapel installed in the center of the former mosque
Baroque chapel installed in the center of the former mosque
