Byzantine art
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{{History of Greek art}}
[[Image:Hagiasophia-christ.jpg|thumb|300px|The most famous of the surviving Byzantine mosaics of the [[Hagia Sophia]] in [[Constantinople]] - the image of [[Christ Pantocrator]] on the walls of the upper southern gallery. Christ is flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The mosaics were made in the 12th century.]]
'''Byzantine art''' is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the [[Byzantine Empire]] from about the [[4th century]] until the [[Fall of Constantinople]] in [[1453]].
The term can also be used for the art of [[Eastern Orthodox]] states which were contemporary with the [[Byzantine Empire]] and were culturally influenced by it, without actually being part of it (the "[[Byzantine commonwealth]]"), such as [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgaria]], [[History of Medieval Serbia|Serbia]], or [[Kievan Rus'|Rus]]; and also for the art of the [[Republic of Venice]] and [[Kingdom of Sicily]], which had close ties to the Byzantine Empire despite being in other respects part of western European culture. Art produced by [[Eastern Orthodox Christians]] living in the [[Ottoman Empire]] is often called "post-Byzantine." Certain artistic traditions that originated in the Byzantine Empire, particularly in regard to icon painting and church architecture, are maintained in [[Greece]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Russia]] and other Eastern Orthodox countries to the present day.
==Introduction==
Just as the Byzantine empire represented the political continuation of the [[Roman Empire]], Byzantine art developed out of the [[Roman art|art of the Roman empire]], which was itself profoundly influenced by [[Art in ancient Greece|ancient Greek art]]. Byzantine art never lost sight of this classical heritage. The Byzantine capital, [[Constantinople]], was adorned with a large number of classical sculptures<ref>S. Bassett, ''The urban image of late antique Constantinople'' (Cambridge, 2004).</ref>, although they eventually became an object of some puzzlement for its inhabitants.<ref>C. Mango, "Antique statuary and the Byzantine beholder," ''Dumbarton Oaks Papers'' 17 (1963), 53-75.</ref> And indeed, the art produced during the Byzantine empire, although marked by periodic revivals of a classical aesthetic, was above all marked by the development of a new aesthetic.
The most salient feature of this new aesthetic was its “abstract,” or anti-naturalistic character. If classical art was marked by the attempt to create representations that mimicked reality as closely as possible, Byzantine art seems to have abandoned this attempt in favor of a more symbolic approach.
[[Image:RabulaGospelsFol13vAscension.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Miniatures of the 6th-century [[Rabula Gospel]] display the more abstract and symbolic nature of Byzantine art.]]
The nature and causes of this transformation, which largely took place during [[late antiquity]], have been a subject of scholarly debate for centuries.<ref>O. Brendel, ''Prolegomena to the study of Roman art'' (New Haven, 1979).</ref> [[Giorgio Vasari]] attributed it to a decline in artistic skills and standards, which had in turn been revived by his contemporaries in the [[Italian Renaissance]]. Although this point of view has been occasionally revived, most notably by [[Bernard Berenson]],<ref>B. Berenson, ''The Arch of Constantine; or, the decline of form'' (London, 1954).</ref> modern scholars tend to take a more positive view of the Byzantine aesthetic. [[Alois Riegl]] and [[Josef Strzygowski]], writing in the early 20th century, were above all responsible for the revaluation of late antique art.<ref>J. Elsner, "The birth of late antiquity: Riegl and Strzygowski in 1901," ''Art History'' 25 (2002), 358-79.</ref> Riegl saw it as a natural development of pre-existing tendencies in Roman art, whereas Strzygowski viewed it as a product of “oriental” influences. Notable recent contributions to the debate include those of [[Ernst Kitzinger]],<ref>E. Kitzinger, ''Byzantine art in the making'' (Cambridge, 1977).</ref> who traced a “dialectic” between “abstract" and "Hellenistic” tendencies in late antiquity, and John Onians,<ref>J. Onians, "Abstraction and imagination in late antiquity," ''Art History'' 3 (1980), 1-23.</ref> who saw an “increase in visual response” in late antiquity, through which a viewer “could look at something which was in twentieth-century terms purely abstract and find it representational.”
In any case, the debate is purely modern: it is clear that most Byzantine viewers did not consider their art to be abstract or unnaturalistic. As [[Cyril Mango]] has observed, “our own appreciation of Byzantine art stems largely from the fact that this art is not naturalistic; yet the Byzantines themselves, judging by their extant statements, regarded it as being highly naturalistic and as being directly in the tradition of [[Phidias]], [[Apelles]], and [[Zeuxis]].”<ref>C. Mango, "Antique statuary," 65.</ref>
[[Image:Meister von Nerezi 001.jpg|thumb|300px|Frescoes in Nerezi near [[Skopje]] (1164), with their unique blend of high tragedy, gentle humanity, and homespun realism, anticipate the approach of [[Giotto]] and other proto-Renaissance Italian artists.]]
The subject matter of monumental Byzantine art was primarily religious and imperial: the two themes are often combined, as in the portraits of later Byzantine emperors that decorated the interior of the sixth-century church of [[Hagia Sophia]] in Constantinople. These preoccupations are partly a result of the pious and autocratic nature of Byzantine society, and partly a result of its economic structure: the wealth of the empire was concentrated in the hands of the church and the imperial office, which therefore had the greatest opportunity to undertake monumental artistic commissions.
Religious art was not, however, limited to the monumental decoration of church interiors. One of the most important genres of Byzantine art was the [[icon]], an image of Christ, the Virgin, or a saint, used as an object of veneration in Orthodox churches and private homes alike. Icons were more religious than aesthetic in nature: especially after the end of iconoclasm, they were understood to manifest the unique “presence” of the figure depicted by means of a “likeness” to that figure maintained through carefully maintained canons of representation.<ref>H. Belting, tr. E. Jephcott, ''Likeness and presence: a history of the image before the era of art'' (Chicago, 1994).</ref>
The illumination of manuscripts was another major genre of Byzantine art. The most commonly illustrated texts were religious, both scripture itself (particularly the Psalms) and devotional or theological texts (such as the ''[[Ladder of Divine Ascent]]'' of [[John Climacus]] or the homilies of [[Gregory of Nazianzus]]). Secular texts were also illuminated: important examples include the [[Alexander Romance]] and the history of [[John Skylitzes]].
“Minor” or “luxury” arts (i.e. ivories, [[soapstone|steatites]], enamels, jewelry, metalwork, ceramics, etc.) were produced in large number throughout the Byzantine era. Many of these were also religious in nature, although a large number of objects with secular or non-representational decoration were produced: for example, ivories representing themes from classical mythology, and ceramics decorated with figures that may derive from the [[Digenis Acritas|Akritic epics]].
==Periods==
=== Early Byzantine art ===
[[Image:Areobindus 01.JPG|thumb|200px|Leaf from an ivory diptych of Areobindus, consul in Constantinople, 506. Areobindus is shown above, presiding over the games in the Hippodrome, depicted beneath.]]
Two events were of fundamental importance to the development of a unique, Byzantine, art. First, the [[Edict of Milan]], issued by the emperors [[Constantine I]] and [[Licinius]] in [[313]], allowed for public Christian worship, and led to the development of a monumental, Christian art. Second, the dedication of [[Constantinople]] in [[330]] created a great new artistic centre for the eastern half of the Empire, and a specifically Christian one. Other artistic traditions flourished in rival cities such as [[Alexandria]], [[Antioch]], and [[Rome]], but it was not until all of these cities had fallen - the first two to the [[Arabs]] and Rome to the [[Goths]] - that Constantinople established its supremacy.
Constantine devoted great effort to the decoration of Constantinople, adorning its public spaces with ancient statuary,<ref>S. Bassett, ''The urban image of late antique Constantinople'' (Cambridge, 2004)</ref> and building a [[Forum of Constantine|forum]] dominated by a porphyry column that carried a statue of himself.<ref>G. Fowden, "Constantine's porphyry column: the earliest literary allusion," ''Journal of Roman Studies'' 81 (1991), 119-31; F.A. Bauer, ''Stadt, Platz und Denkmal'' (Mainz, 1996).</ref> Major Constantinopolitan churches built under Constantine and his son, [[Constantius II]], included the original foundations of [[Hagia Sophia]] and the [[Church of the Holy Apostles]].<ref>T. Mathews, ''The early churches of Constantinople: architecture and liturgy'' (University Park, 1971); N. Henck, "Constantius ho Philoktistes?," ''Dumbarton Oaks Papers'' 55 (2001), 279-304 ([http://www.doaks.org/DOP55/DP55ch14.pdf available online]).</ref>
The next major building campaign in Constantinople was sponsored by [[Theodosius I]]. The most important surviving monument of this period is the obelisk and base erected by Theodosius in the [[Hippodrome of Constantinople|Hippodrome]].<ref>B. Kiilerich, ''The obelisk base in Constantinople'' (Rome, 1998).</ref> The earliest surviving church in Constantinople is the Basilica of St. John at the [[Stoudios]] Monastery, built in the fifth century.<ref>T. Mathews, ''The early churches of Constantinople: architecture and liturgy'' (University Park, 1971)</ref>
Due to subsequent rebuilding and destruction, relatively few Constantinopolitan monuments of this early period survive. However, the development of monumental early Byzantine art can still be traced through surviving structures in other cities. For example, important early churches are found in Rome (including [[Santa Sabina]] and [[Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore|Santa Maria Maggiore]]),<ref>R. Krautheimer, ''Rome: profile of a city'' (Princeton, 2000).</ref> and in [[Thessaloniki]] (the [[Arch and Tomb of Galerius|Rotunda]] and the [[Acheiropoietos Basilica]]).<ref>J.-M. Spieser, ''Thessalonique et ses monuments du IVe au VIe siècle'' (Athens, 1984); S. Ćurčić, ''Some observations and questions regarding early Christian architecture in Thessaloniki'' (Thessaloniki, 2000).</ref>
A number of important illuminated manuscripts, both sacred and secular, survive from this early period. Classical authors, including [[Virgil]] (represented by the [[Vergilius Vaticanus]]<ref>D.H. Wright, ''The Vatican Vergil'' (Berkeley, 1993).</ref> and the [[Vergilius Romanus]]<ref>D.H. Wright, ''The Roman Vergil and the origins of medieval book design'' (Toronto, 2001).</ref>) and [[Homer]] (represented by the [[Ambrosian Iliad]]), were illustrated with narrative paintings. Illuminated biblical manuscripts of this period survive only in fragments: for example, the [[Quedlinburg Itala fragment]] is a small portion of what must have been a lavishly illustrated copy of [[1 Kings]].<ref>I. Levin, ''The Quedlinburg Itala'' (Leiden, 1985).</ref>
Early Byzantine art was also marked by the cultivation of [[ivory carving]].<ref>W.F. Volbach, ''Elfenbeinarbeiten der Spätantike und des frühen Mittelalters'' (Mainz, 1976).</ref> Ivory [[diptych]]s, often elaborately decorated, were issued as gifts by newly appointed [[consul]]s.<ref>R. Delbrueck, ''Die Consulardiptychen und verwandte Denkmäler'' (Berlin, 1929).</ref> Silver plates were another important form of luxury art:<ref>E.C. Dodd, ''Byzantine silver stamps'' (Washington, 1961).</ref> among the most lavish from this period is the [[Missorium of Theodosius I]].<ref>M. Almagro-Gorbea, ed., ''El disco de Teodosio'' (Madrid, 2000).</ref> [[Sarcophagi]] continued to be produced in great numbers.
===The Age of Justinian===
Significant changes in Byzantine art coincided with the reign of [[Justinian I]] ([[527]]-[[565]]). Justinian devoted much of his reign to reconquering Italy, North Africa and Spain. He also laid the foundations of the imperial absolutism of the Byzantine state, codifying its laws and imposing his religious views on all his subjects by law.<ref>M. Maas, ed., ''The Cambridge companion to the age of Justinian'' (Cambridge, 2005).</ref>
[[Image:Meister von San Vitale in Ravenna 003.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Mosaic from San Vitale in Ravenna, showing the Emperor Justinian and Bishop Maximian of Ravenna surruonded by clerics and soldiers.]]
A significant component of Justinian's project of imperial renovation was a massive building program, which was described in a book, the ''Buildings'', written by Justinian's court historian, [[Procopius]].<ref>Tr. H.B. Dewing, ''Procopius VII'' (Cambridge, 1962). [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Procopius/Buildings/home.html English text online].</ref> Justinian renovated, rebuilt, or founded anew countless churches within Constantinople, including [[Hagia Sophia]],<ref>R.J. Mainstone, ''Hagia Sophia: archiecture, structure, and liturgy of Justinian's great church'' (New York, 1997).</ref> which had been destroyed during the [[Nika riots]], the [[Church of the Holy Apostles]],<ref>K. Dark and F. Özgümüş, "New evidence for the Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles from Fatih Camii, Istanbul," ''Oxford Journal of Archaeology'' 21 (2002), 393-413.</ref> and the [[Little Hagia Sophia|Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus]].<ref>J. Bardill, "The Church of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus in Constantinople and the monophysite refugees," ''Dumbarton Oaks Papers'' 54 (2000), 1-11; T. Mathews, "The palace church of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus in Constantinople," in J.J. Emerick and D.M. Delliyannis, eds., Archaeology in architecture: studies in honor of Cecil L. Striker (Mainz, 2005).</ref> Justinian also built a number of churches and fortifications outside of the imperial capital: important examples include the [[Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai|Monastery of St. Catherine]] on the [[Sinai Peninsula]],<ref>G.H. Forsyth and K. Weitzmann, ''The monastery of St. Catherine at Mount Sinai: the church and fortress of Justinian'' (Ann Arbor, 1973).</ref> and the Basilica of St. John in [[Ephesus]].<ref>A. Thiel, ''Die Johanneskirche in Ephesos'' (Wiesbaden, 2005).</ref>
Several major churches of this period were built in the provinces by local bishops in imitation of the new Constantinopolitan foundations. The [[Basilica of San Vitale]] in [[Ravenna]], was built by Bishop [[Maximianus of Ravenna|Maximianus]]. The decoration of San Vitale includes important mosaics of Justinian and his empress, [[Theodora (6th century)|Theodora]], although neither ever visited the church.<ref>F.W. Deichmann, ''Ravenna: Hauptstadt des spätantiken Abendlandes'' (Wiesbaden, 1969).</ref> Also of note is the [[Euphrasian Basilica]] in [[Poreč]].<ref>[http://nickerson.icomos.org/euf/euf-idx.htm Website of the Eufrasiana Basilica project.]</ref>
The first fully-preserved illuminated biblical manuscripts date to the first half of the sixth century, most notably the [[Vienna Genesis]],<ref>E. Wellesz, ''The Vienna Genesis'' (London, 1960).</ref> the [[Rossano Gospels]],<ref>G. Cavallo, ''Codex purpureus Rossanensis'' (Rome, 1992).</ref> and the [[Sinope Gospels]].<ref>A. Grabar, ''Les peintures de l'évangéliaire de Sinope (Bibliothèque nationale, Suppl. gr. 1286)'' (Paris, 1948).</ref> The [[Vienna Dioscurides]] is a lavishly illustrated botanical treatise, presented as a gift to the Byzantine aristocrat [[Julia Anicia]].<ref>O. Mazal, ''Der Wiener Dioskurides: Codex medicus Graecus 1 der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek'' (Graz, 1998).</ref>
Important ivory sculptures of this period include the [[Barberini ivory]], which probably depicts Justinian himself, <ref>A. Cutler, "Barberiniana: notes on the making, content, and provenance of Louvre OA. 9063," in ''Tesserae : Festschrift für Josef Engemann'', ''Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum'', Ergänzungsband 18 (1993) 329-339.</ref> and the [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Archangel_ivory.jpg Archangel ivory] in the British Museum.<ref>D. Wright, "Justinian and an archangel," ''Studien zur spätantiken Kunst Friedrich Wilhelm Deichmann gewidmet'', (Mainz 1986), III.75-79.</ref> Silver plate continued to be decorated with scenes drawn from classical mythology; for example, a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hercule_et_le_Lion_de_N%C3%A9m%C3%A9e_01.JPG plate] preserved in the Cabinet des Médailles, Paris, depicts [[Hercules]] wrestling the [[Nemean lion]].
=== The seventh-century crisis ===
[[Image:Meister der Demetrius-Kirche in Saloniki 002.jpg|thumb|250px|Mosaic from the church of [[Hagios Demetrios]] in [[Thessaloniki]], late 7th or early 8th century, showing [[Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki|St. Demetrios]] with donors.]]
The Age of Justinian was followed by a political decline, since most of Justinian's conquests were lost and the Empire faced acute crisis with the invasions of the [[Eurasian Avars|Avars]], [[Slavs]], [[Persians]] and [[Arabs]] in the 7th century. Constantinople was also wracked by religious and political conflict.<ref>J. Haldon, ''Byzantium in the seventh century: the transformation of a culture'' (Cambridge, 1997).</ref>
The most significant surviving monumental projects of this period were undertaken outside of the imperial capital. The church of [[Hagios Demetrios]] in Thessaloniki was rebuilt after a fire in the mid-seventh century. The new sections include mosaics executed in a remarkably abstract style.<ref>L. Brubaker, "Elites and patronage in early Byzantium: the evidence from Hagios Demetrios in Thessalonike," in J. Haldon et al., eds., ''The Byzantine and early Islamic Near East: elites old and new'' (Princeton, 2004), 63-90.</ref> The church of the Koimesis in Nicaea (present-day [[Iznik]]), destroyed in the early 20th century but documented through photographs, demonstrates the simultaneous survival of a more classical style of church decoration.<ref>C. Barber, “The Koimesis Church, Nicaea: the limits of representation on the eve of iconoclasm,” ''Jahrbuch der österreichischen Byzantinistik'' 41 (1991), 43-60.</ref> The churches of Rome, still a Byzantine territory in this period, also include important surviving decorative programs, especially [[Santa Maria Antiqua]], [[Sant'Agnese fuori le mura]], and the Chapel of San Venanzio in [[San Giovanni in Laterano]].<ref>G. Matthiae, ''Pittura romana del medioevo'' (Rome, 1987).</ref> Byzantine mosaicists probably also contributed to the decoration of the early [[Umayyad]] monuments, including the [[Dome of the Rock]] in [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Umayyad Mosque|Great Mosque of Damascus]].<ref>K.A.C. Creswell, ''Early Muslim architecture'' (New York, 1979); F.B. Flood, ''The Great Mosque of Damascus: studies on the making of an Umayyad visual culture'' (Leiden, 2001).</ref>
Important works of luxury art from this period include the silver [http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/publications/david.htm David Plates], produced during the reign of [[Heraclius]], and depicting scenes from the life of the Hebrew king [[David]].<ref>R. Leader, "The David Plates revisited: transforming the secular in early Byzantium," ''Art Bulletin'' 82 (2000), 407-27 ([http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0422/is_3_82/ai_66304029/pg_18 available online]).</ref> The most notable surviving manuscripts are [[Syriac]] gospel books, such as the so-called [[Syriac Bible of Paris]].<ref>J. Leroy, ''Les manuscrits syriaques à peintures conservés dans les bibliothèques d'Europe et d'Orient; contribution à l'étude de l'iconographie des Églises de langue syriaque'' (Paris, 1964).</ref> However, the [[London Canon Tables]] bear witness to the continuing production of lavish gospel books in Greek.<ref>C. Nordenfalk, ''Die spätantiken Kanontafeln'' (Göteborg, 1938).</ref>
The period between Justinian and iconoclasm saw major changes in the social and religious roles of images within Byzantium. The veneration of [[acheiropoieta]], or holy images "not made by human hands," became a significant phenomenon, and in some instances these images were credited with saving cities from military assault. By the end of the seventh century, certain images of saints had come to be viewed as "windows" through which one could communicate with the figure depicted. [[Proskynesis]] before images is also attested in texts from the late seventh century. These developments mark the beginnings of a theology of [[icon]]s.<ref>L. Brubaker, "Icons before iconoclasm?," ''Morfologie sociali e culturali in europa fra tarda antichita e alto medioevo'', Settimane di Studio del Centro Italiano di Studi sull’ Alto Medioevo 45 (1998), 1215-54.</ref>
At the same time, the debate over the proper role of art in the decoration of churches intensified. [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/trullo.html Three canons] of the [[Quinisext Council]] of [[692]] addressed controversies in this area: prohibition of the representation of the cross on church pavements (Canon 73), prohibition of the representation of Christ as a lamb (Canon 82), and a general injunction against "pictures, whether they are in paintings or in what way so ever, which attract the eye and corrupt the mind, and incite it to the enkindling of base pleasures" (Canon 100).
===Iconoclasm===
[[Image:Handy tables.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Helios]] in his chariot, surrounded by symbols of the months and of the zodiac. From Vat. Gr. 1291, the "Handy Tables" of [[Ptolemy]], produced during the reign of [[Constantine V]].]]
Intense debate over the role of art in worship led eventually to the period of "Byzantine [[iconoclasm]]."<ref>A. Bryer and J. Herrin, eds., ''Iconoclasm'' (Birmingham, 1977); L. Brubaker and J. Haldon, ''Byzantium in the iconoclast era (ca. 680-850): the sources'' (Birmingham, 2001).</ref> Sporadic outbreaks of iconoclasm on the part of local bishops are attested in Asia Minor during the 720s. In [[726]], an underwater earthquake between the islands of Thera and Therasia was interpreted by Emperor [[Leo III the Isaurian|Leo III]] as a sign of God's anger, and may have led Leo to remove a famous icon of Christ from the Chalke Gate outside the imperial palace.<ref>D. Stein, ''Der Beginn des byzantinischen Bilderstreites und seine Entwicklung bis in die 40er Jahre des 8. Jahrhunderts'' (Munich, 1980). The story of the Chalke Icon may be a later invention: M.-F. Auzépy, “La destruction de l’icône du Christ de la Chalcé par Léon III : propagande ou réalité?", ''Byzantion'' 60 (1990), 445-492.</ref> However, iconoclasm probably did not become imperial policy until the reign of Leo's son, [[Constantine V]]. The [[Council of Hieria]], convened under Constantine in 754, proscribed the manufacture of icons of Christ. This inaugurated the [[Iconoclasm|Iconoclastic period]], which lasted, with interruptions, until [[843]].
While iconoclasm severely restricted the role of religious art, and led to the removal of some earlier apse mosaics and (possibly) the sporadic destruction of portable icons, it never constituted a total ban on the production of figural art. Ample literary sources indicate that secular art (i.e. hunting scenes and depictions of the games in the hippodrome) continued to be produced,<ref>A. Grabar,'' L’iconoclasme byzantin: le dossier archéologique'', 2nd ed., (Paris, 1984).</ref> and the few monuments that can be securely dated to the period (most notably the manuscript of Ptolemy's "Handy Tables" today held by the Vatican<ref>D. Wright, “The date of the Vatican illuminated handy tables of Ptolemy and of its early additions,” ''Byzantinische Zeitschrift'' 78 (1985).</ref>) demonstrate that metropolitan artists maintained a high quality of production.<ref>R. Cormack, “The arts during the age of iconoclasm,” in A. Bryer and J. Herrin, eds., ''Iconoclasm'' (Birmingham, 1977).</ref>
Major churches dating to this period include [[Hagia Irene|Hagia Eirene]] in Constantinople, which was rebuilt in the 760s following its destruction by an earthquake in 740. The interior of Hagia Eirene, which is dominated by a large mosaic cross in the apse, is one of the best-preserved examples of iconoclastic church decoration.<ref>U. Peschlow, ''Die Irenenkirche in Istanbul'' (Tübingen, 1977).</ref> The church of Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki was also rebuilt in the late 8th century.<ref>K. Theocharidou, ''The architecture of Hagia Sophia, Thessaloniki, from its erection up to the Turkish Conquest'' (Oxford, 1988).</ref>
Certain churches built outside of the empire during this period, but decorated in a figural, "Byzantine," style, may also bear witness to the continuing activities of Byzantine artists. Particularly important in this regard are the original mosaics of the [[Palatine Chapel in Aachen]] (since either destroyed or heavily restored) and the frescoes in the Church of Maria foris portas in [[Castelseprio]].
===Macedonian Art===
{{Main|Macedonian art (Byzantine)}}
[[Image:Relieftafel 40 Märtyrer von Sebaste Bodemuseum.jpg|thumb|200px|An example of Macedonian ivorywork: the [[Forty Martyrs of Sebaste]], now in the [[Bode Museum]], [[Berlin]].]]
The rulings of the Council of Hieria were reversed by a new church council in 843, celebrated to this day in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the "Triumph of Orthodoxy." In [[867]], the installation of a new apse mosaic in Hagia Sophia depicting the Virgin and Child was celebrated by the Patriarch [[Photios]] in a famous homily as a victory over the evils of iconoclasm. Later in the same year, the Emperor [[Basil I]], called "the Macedonian," acceded to the throne; as a result the following period of Byzantine art has sometimes been called the "[[Macedonian Renaissance]]," although the term is doubly problematic (it was neither "[[Macedonia (terminology)|Macedonian]]," nor, strictly speaking, a "[[Renaissance]]").
In the 9th and 10th centuries the Empire's military situation improved, and patronage of art and architecture increased. New churches were commissioned, and the standard architectural form (the "[[cross-in-square]]") and decorative scheme of the Middle Byzantine church were standardised. Major surviving examples include [[Hosios Loukas]] in [[Boeotia]], the [[Daphni Monastery]] near [[Athens]] and [[Nea Moni]] on [[Chios]].
There was a revival of interest in the depiction of subjects from classical mythology (as on the Veroli Casket) and in the use of a "classical" style to depict religious, and particularly Old Testament, subjects (of which the [[Paris Psalter]] and the [[Joshua Roll]] are important examples).
The Macedonian period also saw a revival of the late antique technique of [[ivory]] carving. Many ornate ivory [[triptych]]s and [[diptych]]s survive, such as the [[Harbaville Triptych]] and a triptych at [[Luton Hoo]], dating from the reign of [[Nicephorus Phocas]]).
===Comnenian Age===
The Macedonian emperors were followed by the [[Comnenus|Komnenian dynasty]], beginning with the reign of [[Alexios I Komnenos]] in [[1081]]. Byzantium had recently suffered a period of severe dislocation following the [[battle of Manzikert]] in 1071 and the subsequent loss of Asia Minor to the Turks. However, the Komnenoi brought stability to the empire, (1081-1185), and during the course of the twelfth century their energetic campaigning did much to restore the fortunes of the empire. The Komnenoi were great patrons of the arts, and with their support Byzantine artists continued to move in the direction of greater humanism and emotion, of which the [[Theotokos of Vladimir]], the cycle of mosaics at [[Daphni]], and the murals at [[Nerezi]] yield important examples. Ivory sculpture and other expensive mediums of art gradually gave way to frescoes and icons, which for the first time gained widespread popularity across the Empire. Apart from painted icons, there were other varieties - notably the mosaic and [[ceramic]] ones.
<!-- Themes such as the Virgin and Child and the ''Threnos'' (the lamentation over Christ's body) became more common, as did naturalistic portraits of the Emperors. --how can we theorize based on three examples: Vladimirskaya, Nerezi, and mosaic portraits of emperors at Hagia Sophia? -->
[[Image:Ohrid annunciation icon.jpg|thumb|250px|''The Annunciation'' from [[Ohrid]], one of the most admired [[icon]]s of the Paleologan [[Mannerism]], bears comparison with the finest contemporary works by Italian artists.]]
Some of the finest Byzantine work of this period may be found outside the Empire: in the mosaics of [[Gelati]], [[Kiev]], [[Torcello]], [[Venice]], [[Monreale]], [[Cefalù]] and [[Palermo]]. For instance, Venice's [[San Marco di Venezia|Basilica of St Mark]], begun in [[1063]], was based on the great [[Church of the Holy Apostles]] in Constantinople, now destroyed, and is thus an echo of the age of Justinian. The acquisitive habits of the Venetians mean that the basilica is also a great museum of Byzantine artworks of all kinds (e.g., [[Pala d'Oro]]).
===Palaeologan Age===
Eight hundred years of continuous Byzantine culture were brought to an abrupt end in [[1204]] with the sacking of Constantinople by the knights of the [[Fourth Crusade]], a disaster from which the Empire never recovered. Although the Byzantines regained the city in [[1261]], the Empire was thereafter a small and weak state confined to the Greek peninsula and the islands of the [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]].
Nevertheless the [[Palaeologus|Palaeologan Dynasty]], beginning with [[Michael VIII Palaeologus]] in [[1259]], was a last golden age of Byzantine art, partly because of the increasing cultural exchange between Byzantine and Italian artists. Byzantine artists developed a new interest in landscapes and pastoral scenes, and the traditional mosaic-work (of which the [[Chora Church]] in [[Constantinople]] is the finest extant example) gradually gave way to detailed cycles of narrative frescoes (as evidenced in a large group of [[Mystras]] churches). The icons, which became a favoured medium for artistic expression, were characterized by a less austere attitude, new appreciation for purely decorative qualities of painting and meticulous attention to details, earning the popular name of the Paleologan Mannerism for the period in general.
[[Crete]] had been ruled by the Venetians since 1211, and the [[Cretan school]] of icon-painting gradually introduced Western elements into its style, and exported large numbers of icons to the West. After the fall of the Empire, Crete became the centre of Greek art, until it too fell to the Turks in 1669.
==Legacy==
The Byzantine era properly defined came to an end with the [[fall of Constantinople]] to the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Turks]] in [[1453]], but by this time the Byzantine cultural heritage had been widely diffused, carried by the spread of Orthodox Christianity, to [[Bulgaria]], [[Serbia]], [[Romania]] and, most importantly, to [[Russia]], which became the centre of the Orthodox world following the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans. Even under Ottoman rule, Byzantine traditions in icon-painting and other small-scale arts survived, especially in the Venetian-ruled Crete and [[Rhodes]], where a "post-Byzantine" style under increasing Western influence survived for a further two centuries, producing [[El Greco]] and other significant artists.
The influence of Byzantine art in western Europe, particularly Italy was seen in ecclesiastical architecture, through the development of the [[Romanesque style]] in the [[10th century]] and [[11th century|11th centuries]]. This influence was transmitted through the Frankish and Salic emperors, primarily [[Charlemagne]], who had close relations with Byzantium. The contribution of the migrated [[Byzantine scholars in Renaissance]] is also very important.
== See also ==
*[[Icon]]
*[[Sacred art]]
*[[Egon Sendler]]
== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Further reading ==
*J. Beckwith, ''Early Christian and Byzantine art'' (New Haven, 1993).
*R. Cormack, ''Byzantine art'' (Oxford, 2000).
*H.C. Evans, ed., ''Byzantium: faith and power (1261-1557)'' (New York, 2004).
*H.C. Evans, ed., ''The glory of Byzantium'' (New York, 1997).
*Sharon E. J. Gerstel and Julie A. Lauffenburger, ed., ''A Lost Art Rediscovered'' (Penn State, 2001) ISBN 0-271-02139-X
*C. Mango, ed., ''The art of the Byzantine Empire, 312-1453: sources and documents'' (Englewood Cliffs, 1972).
*K. Weitzmann, ed., ''Age of spirituality'' (New York, 1979).
==External links==
{{commonscat-N|Byzantine art|Byzantine mosaic|Byzantine paintings}}
*[http://www.constantinopleguide.com/Byzantine%20Churches.html "A Tour covering some fine examples of Byzantines"], from ''[[Istanbul Guiding Team]]'' Online.
*[http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={9A19B99B-ECDE-4EF0-A021-01168C413561} ''Byzantium, Faith and Power, 1261-1453'']. Exhibition at the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] (2004).
*[http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Byzantium/byzhome.html ''The Glory of Byzantium'']. Exhibition at the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] (1997).
*[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9018408/Byzantine-art "Byzantine art"], from ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' Online.
*[http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/BUN_CAL/BYZANTINE_ART.html "Byzantine art"], from the [[1911 Encyclopædia Britannica]].
*[http://www.doaks.org/EconHist/EHB22.pdf Anthony Cutler on the economic history of Byzantine mosaics, wall-paintings and icons; at Dumbarton Oaks.]
*[http://www.eikonografos.com/album/ BYZANTINE ICONS AND MOSAICS]
[[Category:Byzantine art| ]]
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[[ca:Art bizantí]]
[[de:Byzantinische Kunst]]
[[el:Βυζαντινή τέχνη]]
[[es:Arte bizantino]]
[[eo:Bizanca arto]]
[[eu:Arte bizantziar]]
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[[hr:Bizantska umjetnost]]
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[[he:אמנות ביזנטית]]
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[[nl:Byzantijnse kunst]]
[[ja:ビザンティン美術]]
[[no:Bysantinsk kunst]]
[[pl:Sztuka bizantyjska]]
[[pt:Arte bizantina]]
[[ru:Искусство Византии]]
[[simple:Byzantine art]]
[[sr:Византијска уметност]]
[[fi:Bysanttilainen kulttuuri]]
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[[uk:Візантійський стиль]]