Byzantine Art and Culture

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Byzantine Art and Culture
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A look at Byzantine Art
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Mosaic
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Mosaic

• Mosaic of Christ from the Hagia Sophia (Church of
  the Holy Wisdom), Istanbul.

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Mosaic
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Justinian and Theodora
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Emperor Justinian and AttendantsTile Mosaic (540
547 AD)
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Not all Byzantine Art were Mosaics

• Icons (Greek eikon) - became the center of
  controversy between the Eastern and Western
  Christian Churches.

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Icons

• Often painted on wood
• Used in the home as well as in churches

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Icons
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Controversy Surrounding Icons

• Many people believed them to be idol worship.
• These people became known as iconoclasts.
• Byzantine Emperor banned them for a time.
• Patriarch of Rome not recognized as main
  Christian authority by the Byzantines.
• Patriarch of Rome declared all opposition to
  icons a heresy.
• Heresy anything attacking the basic principles
  of the church.
• Heresy was punishable by excommunication
• Excommunication being kicked out of the church.

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Split in the Christian Church

• 1054 AD Christian Church split into two parts.
• Western Church Roman Catholic Church
• Led by the Pope, in Rome
• Eastern Church Eastern Orthodox Church
• Led by the Patriarch of Constantinople.

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Split in the Christian Church
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Byzantine Missionaries Spread Christianity
Cyril
Methodius
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Cyrillic Alphabet
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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)
Justinians monument to the Byzantine empire as
Gods empire on Earth
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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)

• Originally built in 4th Century by Constantinius
  (Constantines son)
• Burnt to the ground twice. Second time during
  the Nika riots of 532
• Rebuilt by Justinian in 536

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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)
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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)
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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)
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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)
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Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)
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Two Religions Claim it as their own

• First built as a Christian Church.
• Turned into an Islamic Mosque with the Turkish
  overthrow of Constantinople in 1453
• Stood as principle mosque of Istanbul for 500
  years.
• Now its a museum