Images of Christian devotion in Late Antiquity and Byzantium
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus in Rome represents reflects the transformed status of Christianity. Junius Bassus was a member of a senatorial family and he was responsible for the administration of the city of Rome. Junius Bassus died at the age of 42 in the year 359, this sarcophagus was made for him. He had become a convert to Christianity before his death.
The style and iconography of the sarcophagus reflects the transformed status of Christianity. Before the time of Constantine, the picture of Christ was never used directly by important members of the Roman Emperor. In this sarcophagus, Christ represented directly and delivered from Roman Imperial Art perspective. Peter and Paul are also represented in the sarcophagus. Peter is represented with a bowl hair and short cropped beard and Paul is represented with a pointed beard. They both have different hair color (Peter has a white hair and Paul’s hair I white.Christ is being represented in two ways. The youthful, beardless Christ (Based on Apollo) and the dominance Christ with a long beard (Based on Juniper or Zeus). The feet of Christ show that he is relax and he is being show as a muscular figure. This is formula deliver Roman Art to show that he is a powerful person. Caelus’s position under Christ feet show that Christ is the ruler of heaven and he is more powerful than him. One of the icon of the sarcophagus show the entry of Christ into Jerusalem.
Some of the icons show the inclusion of the Old and New Testament scenes. For example, the icon of the image of Adam and Eve are covering their private parts of the body. The scene of Daniel in the lion’s depth is an example of how salvation have been achieved with...
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Religious devotion. This dispute about the place of images in religious worship came down, in many ways, to a debate over the primacy of sight or hearing in apprehending the divine: whether seeing the image or hearing the Bible was the better or more valid route to God. “(Liz James 529). I think that it will be better for the audience if she have a picture showing the characteristics that she described but the words can help to visualize people. The idea that without sight and hearing people will not understand the purpose of the picture it’s really truth. She quoted that “Nevertheless, both sight and hearing interacted in the overall comprehension of the image; the Visual did not act alone.”(Liz James 529)
Works Cited
James, Liz. "Senses And Sensibility In Byzantium." Art History 27.4 (2004): 522-537. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 May 2014.
The Romans believed in the afterlife and most scenes, for those who could afford it, was a reflection of this type of belief system. Using the Endymion sarcophagus as an example, it was made during the Mid–Imperial period during the time of Severan Dynasty, and in the early 3rd century AD. The Endymion sarcophagus is created, in lenos form, out of marble and was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Rogers fund 1947. Across the front of the Endymion sarcophagus we have the mythos of Endymion. Like the Badminton Sarcophagus, the facing scene depicts the conquering of death in the cycle of immortality and eternal sleep. In the middle of the sarcophagus we have Endymion, the most beautiful of men, being visited by a Selene who
...t would help bring into understandable light the mystery of the Church’s teachings. Finally, achievements in re-creating human emotion would ensure the painting’s, and therefore the Church’s teachings would leave an indelible mark on all of its viewers.
Cothren, Michael W. "Art of the Ancient Near East." Art History Ancient Art. By Marilyn Stokstad. Fourth ed. Print.
The role of religion in early-modern Europe (from about 1400 to 1700) religion remained an essential ‘lens’ through which members of this period viewed their lives and the world around them. The influence of religious outlooks was always important during this time period. This can be seen through Cabeza de Vaca’s Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America, Michel de Montaigne’s On Cannibals, and the political works of philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. These authors’ works can only be understood and put into proper context with an understanding of the religious lens through which they wrote.
The Western church is described as being smaller in land mass, and less diverse (Shields, & Butzu, 2007, p. 103). The Eastern church is described as being quite vast, and full of different types of people (each with their own languages and customs that had an effect on the development of their worship styles and methods). Further we discover that the West had celebrated a time of peace (Christianity was legal, so there was a significant decrease in martyrdom), conversely the Eastern church was geographically located closely to an Islamic population, which meant it had a large military in comparison to the West. I should also point out that there was a shift in this time-period of the church providing what can be described as a governmental role, so in a very practical way being a bishop in the East could mean sending troops to defend members of your church (Shields, & Butzu, 2007, p. 103).
The Dying Gaul sculpture was created to show the character of the person it was modeled after. They were an honorable opponent and the creator wanted to show that, just as they were courageous and determined because he wanted to get back up and fight even though they were dying. This is similar to this sarcophagus because it show cases aspects of the individuals personality just like this sarcophagus. The next piece that this sarcophagus is similar to is the Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus because they are both sarcophagi that were created in order to show personal traits of the deceased. In the case of Junius it depicts various biblical scenes including Adam and Eve, and Abraham sacrificing Isaac, which the deceased may have felt personally connected
The Metropolitan. (2014). The Crucifixion Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro) (Italian, Vicchio di Mugello ca. 1395–1455 Rome). In THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. Retrieved January 21, 2014, from http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/437007.
...ting as followed in the Ancient Period and shows the changing beliefs of the Egyptians and their embrace of the Christian faith. It is also interesting to note that the wings in the icons seem to be based on the depiction in the papyrus scroll, attesting to the influence of Ancient Egyptian art on the period.
One of the most striking features of a Byzantine style church is the extensive use of iconography, with images often covering most if not all of the walls inside the sanctuary. Upon entering this sacred space, we see the scriptures come to life through the imagery, colors, and events that are depicted. The icons speak to us in a theologically correct way and convey deep meaning about spiritual realities that are often beyond our comprehension. And while the cumulative effect of so many images is quite powerful, each individual icon offers us the same experience. A good example can be seen in the icon of the Annunciation.
The representation of divinity was clearly defined in Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists through its subject matter, technique, and style. Christ acts as the focal point, but the artist also used different subjects from the Old and New Testament to decorate the apse. Unlike the mosaics in the apse of Byzantine churches, the artist employed the technique of classical fresco painting. The artist also applied decoration to the figures with the hierarchy of scale, and through the geometric style in the drapery instead of maintaining a sense of realism.
In the West Tower at The San Antonio Museum of Art I came across the sarcophagi. It was well detailed and interesting to look at; every time I would glance at it I would be drawn to another part of it. This is a three-dimensional piece of marble made by Romans. Sarcophagi were made to place human remains. The medium of this sarcophagus is Encaustic. On this sarcophagus, you can see the value of it moving from one side to the other. The balance of the sarcophagus was meant to be symmetrical, if I were to cut this in half I would have just about the same on both sides. It has rhythm and the images seem to mirror one another. Roman sarcophagi were mostly decorated on the front and two short sides. The resemblance of the garland and fruits on the
The use of art forms and sculpture as a means of conveying a message to its viewers has been rooted deep into culture throughout human history. Imagery has carved political views and depictions of society’s circumstances into permanent marks of antiquity. From the Ancient Roman architecture and sculpture to the 1900’s emergence of media in politics, we have continued to express our views, hardships, and culture in permanent ways, and use art as an intricate form of manipulation and persuasion. In the ancient times, the Romans used sculpture to portray individuals of power, such as Augustus, to mark a political ideology by making powerful figures look more pristine and perfect on a godly level. They would portray the unattainable perfection
Byzantine art had many basic characteristics. The first was expressionistic using color and emotion. Many of the are lacked depth in a two dimensional fashion. The art was symbolic in nature, decorative, detailed. The figures are stiff and ...
When the religious art leaks out of the religious community and into the broader world of culture, it is one of the ways the meaning of the art can evolve. This is also an opportunity for the art to draw the world to religion. Moreover, artistic reinterpretation of sacred imagery can help keep religion honest. The church has always been enriched by the tension that comes with diversity in art. Art is communication and effective art communicates effectively to any group at any level.
Luther’s later years following his excommunication were not nearly as central to the fractioning of the Catholic church. He would, in fact, later distance himself from the more radical followers that would characterize some the years immediately following his writings. His primary contributions to the Protestant faith were his writings and the notion that salvation should be rooted in faith rather than practice. His influence on Western Christianity is immeasurable, and is best examined by understanding the development of Protestant church and its modern manifestations.