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Ap art history early byzantine empire
Constantine effect on Christianity
Early christian art essay
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The Beginning of Christian Art
In the first two centuries of Christianity there weren’t any form of art recorded.
Christians meet in small groups in a private phone and conducted simple services. In
these services they would eat wine and bread that reminded them of Christ sacrifice on
the cross. (Lamm 175)
Christian symbols were a major form of art in the earlier years of Christian art. The
Egyptian, Greek, and Romans artist had different symbols that represented different
things. The Greeks created gods of their own image. For example, Zeus with the
thunderbolt. This symbolized that this was the god of power. (176) Some artist
cam e up with a variety of solutions using biblical stories, parables, and symbols to
design Christian art.(177)
In the age of Constantine, Constantine proclaimed freedom of religion in the Edict and
Milan in 313. For centuries basilicas were constructed by the Romans. The basilicas served as
meeting halls, mercantile centers, and halls of justice. There were two basilicas that were built in
the early centuries. They were Old St. Peters and St. Paul’s. The outside walls of St. Paul were
destroyed by fire in 1823 and rebuilt in 1854. (180)
In 404 Ravenna became the capital of the Western Empire under Honorius. Ravenna fell
under Odoacer in 476, but emerged as the capital of Theodoric Ostrogothic kingdom between the
years of 489-526. Ravenna concluded its royal careen as the western capital of Justinian’s
Byzantine Empire during 527-565. (181)
Justinian marked the beginning of the Byzantine style from 527-565. It was notable for
artistic production and for Justinian legal code. Operating from his capitals of Constantinople in
the East and Ravenna in the West, Justinian was the emperor of the Roman and Oriental
potentate, in witch later became Byzantine Empire. (183)
In 330 Constantine was known as “New Rome.” The city was very popular. It was the
sumptuous of Byzantine civilization for over 1,000 years. The faith of Orthodox was totally
dominate in that city. In 532 the Blues and Greens rival chariot-racing joined forces and revolted
against the autocratic rule of Justinian and Theodora. The imperial troops put down the
revolution by slaying about 30,000 people and most of the public buildings were destroyed,
including Basilica of Hagia Sophia (The Church of Holy Wisdom).(185)
Because the first Hagia Sophia was destroyed, Justinian hired a mathematician to design
another one. The new Hagia Sophia was beautiful.
History plays a very important role in the development of art and architecture. Over time people, events, and religion, have contributed to the evolution of art. Christianity has become a very common and well established religion, however, in the past it was hidden and a few people would worship this religion secretly. Gradually, Christianity became a growing religion and it attracted many converts from different social statuses. Christian art was highly influenced by the Greco-Romans, but it was immensely impacted by the establishment of the Edict of Milan in the year 313 AD. The Edict of Milan was so significant that scholars divide Christian art into two time periods, time before and after the Edict of Milan of 313.
The city of Rome was and is one of the most well-known cities of the world. It has always lured in huge visitors for its attraction for the elaborate Pagan temples or for the eloquent Cathedrals of the Rome. Now the city is known for being the center of the catholic faith. The city is interesting in a way that, it has not always been a Catholic hotspot. The city was originally under the control of the Romans who worshiped Pagan Gods. The Romans believed that Rome was a holy city chosen by their Gods (Cowling). The switch from being a Pagan centered place to a Christian centered place was not as easy transition for the city. It took time and perseverance. As the Christian influence started to build up, the face of the Roman city started to change; the structure of the city was changed, the major public places changed, and along with that major monuments in the city changed. The city changed so much that now if you don’t look closely enough, you might think the city was always under the Christian influence.
During Justinian’s reign he was able to conquer and take over many parts of Europe expanding his Byzantium Empire, which was a huge start in reviving Roman Authority. He took back a huge amount of territory that was once belonged to the Roman Empire before Barbarian invasions in fourth and fifth century in Western Europe including Northern Africa and Italy. Justinians vast war against the Persians to the East of Constantinople was a problem for Justinian but after several battles a peace was arranged with fairly equal terms. Justinian then de...
Constantine’s departure from Rome took with him the political seat of power. With the removal of the political head a power vacuum was created. The body that remained in Rome was that of the Christian church, feeble though it may have been. Rome’s identity was so deeply rooted in the pagan tradition that despite his best efforts Constantine was unable to convert it entirely. The former capital was still home to a powerful group of aristocrats which held on firmly to the roots of paganism. Gradually, with the support of the imperial court and the city’s urban masses, the church was able to gain a foothold in the fifth century (Krautheimer 33).
In the year 330 Constantine founded a new imperial city in the east, which became known as Constantinople. Accompanying Diocletian's system of tetrarchy, the creation of this new city affirmed the separation of the Roman Empire into the east and the west. The Eastern Roman Empire held a series of advantages over the west both socially and economically. The Western Roman Empire was the weaker empire and a bad leadership and government along with attacks from barbarians led to the demise of the Western Roman Empire.
Sherk, R. K., ‘Rome and the Greek East to the Age of Augustus. Translated documents of Greece and Rome 4’, A companion to Ancient History. UK: Blackwell Publishing, 1984. Print
Pantheon and Hagia Sophia Pantheon and Hagia Sophia are two extremely outstanding architectural pieces of their times. They have been built according to the traditions of those particular times. The materials used to built these buildings and the purpose for which they were used are all very important aspects and have been briefly covered in this report. Pantheon The statesman Agrippa built pantheon in 27 B.C. Then it was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times. The present structure was probably originally built as a temple for all the pagan gods. We do hear of it as being a law-court and a reception area for Emperor Hadrian meeting his quests too. Some say that the rotunda of the building was once a Roman bath. Due to all this mystery, the Pantheon is often referred to as the Sphinx of Rome. The visitor will probably not appreciate the construction as much as the Flavian amphitheatre, but it is still a great masterpiece of engineering and well worth a visit. Most Roman and Greek temples at the time of the Pantheon's construction were large, colonnaded, rectangular enclosures with sanctuaries situated in their centers. The Pantheon was different. It consisted of a large circular drum topped with a hemispherical dome. It is a masterpiece of both engineering and art a lasting memory of Ancient Rome’s might. Roman architecture is architecture of wall and enclosed tactile space. Individual column with entablature is no longer the basic architectural unity. Spatially, it shows a development from closed, simple space units and regular articulation to more complex spatial relations, more fluid interpenetrati...
The primary religious rituals of Israelite religion involved sacrifices and offerings. The ritual system within the Israelite cult evolved around gifts and offerings that were presented before Yahweh. In examining the book of Leviticus, the sacrificial system of the Israelites can be identified. It is this sacrificial system that was handed down by God through Moses that allowed the people of Israel to cross over the gap between their own weaknesses and corruption to the expectations presented by God. Sacrifices symbolized an acknowledgement of guilt and a need for divine grace and forgiveness.
It was a don of a new age, belief, conviction, and devotion were felt throughout the period, and it was the time of the Romanesque churches. This was the time to view these boundless, monastic complexes, majestic cathedrals, and painted artifacts; the churches were beaming with activity and life. With the assembly of nuns, monks, and local town folks, these structures offered safety, a simpler way of life thru thought, simplicity, and reflection, which than sparked an overall energy and spirit throughout the air, it was the age of faith. In this period of time a massive building project had begun, within a short time span of 150 years, the construction of more than 1000 monasteries, and abbeys were built throughout Western Europe. Some of the main architecturally features and designs were the massive towers pointed heavenward and seemed as if they were touching the sky, it made the church visible from great distances and became the center point of the towns where they were built. The stone portals separated the nonspiritual, from the divine realm and dramatized the entrance door, as the gateway to salvation. The Gothic style of architecture, or Gothic cathedral began in the seventeenth century and was born in France, Over 580 Gothic & cathedrals class churches were built and constructed between 1170 to 1270; they were often large enough to house the entire population of the town. Two dominant architectural designs and styles emerged Romanesque and Gothic; there were differences and some similarities between the two. If the Romanesque church constituted a rural retreat for monastics and pilgrims, the Gothic cathedral served as the focal point for the urban community physically dominated the town, the design of the to...
St Peter’s basilica which is built based on rational form of architecture is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City, designed by Donato Bramante. Its significant history is that according to the Catholic tradition this was the place that Saint Peter was buried. Not so far away...
The Hagia Sophia was the biggest church in Europe at that time. The church was a symbol that the Bryzantine Empire was the strongest, Wealthiest, and most beautiful city in Europe. The church was so big that when traders were sailing they could see the church from the water. Justinian donated a lot of money towards education of art in hope that art prospers. Most of the art they had during that time was mosaics; much of bryzantine art was used to make religious statues and figures.
This first stage endured from the Gothic style's origin in 1120–50 to around 1200. The blend of all the previously stated auxiliary components into a reasonable style initially happened in the district around Paris, where prosperous urban populaces had adequate riches to manufacture the immense church buildings that typify the Gothic style. The most punctual surviving Gothic building was the nunnery of Saint-Denis in Paris, started in around 1140. Structures with correspondingly exact vaulting and chains of windows along the border were soon started with Notre-Dame de Paris (started 1163) and Laon Cathedral. At this point it had gotten to be popular to treat the inside sections and ribs as though each was made out of a pack of more thin parallel individuals. A progression of four discrete even levels or stories in the church building's inside were advanced, starting with a ground-level arcade, over which
Early Christian and Byzantine art started after Jesusí death in the first century ranging and ending to the fourth century AD. The art produced during this period was secretive because Christianity was not a formal religion but as a cult; the Romans and rest of Europe persecuted Christians so the artist disguised their work with symbols and hints of Christian aspects. Christianity was the first cult to not involve rituals of sacrifice of animals and refused to worship an Emperor causing the Roman Empire to make Christianity illegal. Byzantine art excelled in the Justinian period in the east during 520-540 AD. The art was produced in Ravenna, Byzantine, Venice, Sicily, Greece, and Russia. The difference between Christian and Byzantine is that Christian was earth beyond realism and Byzantine was more spiritual than worldly style. This art period was sectioned off into three different periods. The first was persecution from the first to the third century. The second was due to Constantine making Christianity legal in the fourth century. The last period is known as New Christian style starting in the fifth century. Most of the art from this period was frescoes, mosaics, and architecture.
The introduction of Christianity as a major religion followed the pattern of other ancient religions. Many of the great works of art were done for religious purposes. Some of the most famous artworks in history are religious. Just a few that come immediately to mind are The Last Supper, the ceiling of the Cysteine Chapel, and the Statue of David. Even during the period known as the Dark Ages art was inspired by religion. True, the art was generally dark and full of death and demons, but the art was based upon religious themes, mostly from the book of Revelations. As with the art that preceded it, the religious art of Christianity is full of symbolism. For example, a painting where the man is standing with two fingers upraised on his right hand is generally a religious leader such as a pope or Jesu...
Art is important to religion in many different ways. Perhaps none has analyzed how art and religion have influenced and affected each other through the ages. Pictures painted of past events that help to bring back the feeling and importance of the past have been forgotten by some. To the one’s that haven’t forgotten are able to see the event’s as the bible says they happened. Not only can you see the events, but it also allows the younger students of the church to understand the events. The use of images of God became widespread after the second century. This religious art has defiantly been around for centuries and plays an important role to the history of religion as well as the future.