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Marble Portrait Bust of a Woman with a Scroll. Byzantine. late 4th–early 5th century. On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 301. This sensitively carved portrait bust presents a mature woman with a thoughtful expression and piercing gaze; the scroll held in her right hand signals an appreciation for classical learning and marks her as a ...
- Tessera
1900s, collection of Moritz Sobernheim, Berlin (probably...
- Standing Man
"The Year One: Art of the Ancient World East and West," The...
- Byzantium
In 330 A.D., the first Christian ruler of the Roman empire,...
- Tessera
- Influences
- Artists
- Frescos & Paintings
- Icons
- Mosaics
- Sculpture
- Minor Arts
As Byzantium was the eastern branch of the Roman Empire in its earliest phase, it is not surprising that a strong Roman, or more precisely, Classical influence predominates Byzantine output. The Roman tradition of collecting, appreciating, and privately displaying antique art also continued amongst the wealthier classes of Byzantium. Byzantine art ...
In the Byzantine Empire, there was little or no distinction between artist and craftsperson, both created beautiful objects for a specific purpose, whether it be a box to keep a precious belonging or an icon to stir feelings of piety and reverence. Some job titles we know are zographos and historiographos(painter), maistor (master) andktistes (crea...
Byzantine Christian art had the triple purpose of beautifying a building, instructing the illiterate on matters vital for the welfare of their soul, and encouraging the faithful that they were on the correct path to salvation. For this reason, the interiors of Byzantine churches were covered with paintings and mosaics. The large Christian basilica ...
Icons - representations of holy figures - were created for veneration by Byzantine Christians from the 3rd century CE. They are most often seen in mosaics, wall paintings, and as small artworks made from wood, metal, gemstones, enamel, or ivory. The most common form was small painted wooden panels which could be carried or hung on walls. Such panel...
The majority of surviving wall and ceiling mosaics depict religious subjects and are to be found in many Byzantine churches. One of their characteristics is the use of gold tiles to create a shimmering background to the figures of Christ, the Virgin Mary and saints. As with icons and paintings, the portraiture follows certain conventions such as a ...
Realistic portrait sculpture was a characteristic of later Roman art, and the trend continues in early Byzantium. The Hippodrome of Constantinople was known to have bronzeand marble sculptures of emperors and popular charioteers, for example. Ivory was used for figure sculpture, too, although only a single free-standing example survives, the Virgin...
Byzantine artists were accomplished metalsmiths, while enamelling was another area of high technical expertise. A superb example of the use of both skills combined is the c. 1070 CE chalice in the Treasury of Saint Mark's, Venice. Made with a semi-precious stone body and gold stem, the cup is decorated with enamel plaques. Cloisonné enamels (object...
- Mark Cartwright
The Byzantine Empire was a monarchy, and as in many other monarchies, the royal system allowed for women to participate in politics as monarchs in their own name or as regents in place of a husband or son. Many royal women are known to have participated in politics during the centuries. Among them were female monarchs like Pulcheria, Irene of ...
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Dec 6, 2023 · Thus, Byzantine art includes work created from the fourth century to the fifteenth century and encompassing parts of the Italian peninsula, the eastern edge of the Slavic world, the Middle East, and North Africa. So what is Byzantine art, and what do we mean when we use this term?
Byzantine Women and Their World, the first exhibition of its kind, explores the representation of women during the span of the Byzantine Empire and assembles almost 200 objects including jewelry, icons, religious amulets, textiles, coins, and household items that date from the 4th through 15th centuries.
The Collection. Medieval Art. Portrait of a Lady. Late Roman/Early Byzantine. 5th–6th Century. Not on view. This charming decorative panel features a bust of a woman on a yellow ground. The woman wears a checkered shirt, a jeweled diadem, stylized earrings, and a necklace.
