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Early Christian and Byzantine Art
Purpose of Course showclose
Course Information showclose
Primary Resources: This course is structured around a series of essays and video lectures, including:
- Essays and slideshows from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
- Readings from Columbia University’s The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project
- Lectures and essays from SmartHistory
Requirements for Completion: In order to complete this course successfully you must satisfactorily complete four end-of-unit writing exercises and pass the final exam with a score of 70% or higher. Your score on the exam will be tabulated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam, you may take it again.
Note that you will only receive an official grade on your final exam. However, in order to adequately prepare for this exam, you will need to work through the quizzes and problem sets listed above.
Time Commitment: This course will take a total of approximately 101 hours to complete.
Tips/Suggestions: As with any art history course, it is important that you take time to carefully examine any and all images presented in this course. Pay careful attention to images presented in video lectures, and pause the videos or go back as necessary to review. Most images also can be easily located in a Google search.
Learning Outcomes showclose
- Identify works of art from Early Christian and Byzantine culture, recalling such information as date of creation, artist (if known), patron (if known), medium, and culture (i.e. Early Christian, Early Byzantine, Middle Byzantine, Late Byzantine).
- Recognize the features (stylistic and iconographic) typical of the arts of the early Christian and Byzantine world.
- Explain and discuss the general arc of the history of Early Christian and Byzantine culture.
- Describe the significance and function of works of art produced in Early Christian and Byzantine culture.
- Discuss the sources of influence (from previous historical periods as well as from neighboring geographical regions) that affected Early Christian and Byzantine art.
- Compare and contrast works of early Christian and Byzantine art to those of other cultures.
- Explain the relationship between Christianity (and Early Christian art) and Byzantine culture, and discuss the symbiotic nature of this relationship.
- Describe the methods and materials used to create works of Early Christian and Byzantine art.
- Explain the ways in which Early Christian and Byzantine art reveals the social, religious, and political mores of the culture.
Course Requirements showclose
√ Have access to a computer
√ Have continuous broadband internet access
√ Have the ability/permission to install plug-ins or software (e.g. Adobe Reader of Flash)
√ Have the ability to download and save files and documents to a computer
√ Have the ability to open Microsoft files and documents (.doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.)
√ Be competent in the English language
√ Have read the Saylor Student Handbook.
√ Have completed ARTH101: Art Appreciation and Techniques, ARTH110: Introduction to Western Art History—Pre-historic to High Gothic, ARTH111: Introduction to Western Art History—Proto-Renaissance to Contemporary Art, and four 200-level ARTH courses.Unit Outline show close
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Unit 1: Early Christian Art
This course begins with the earliest examples of Christian art, which date back to the second century in Rome. The Christian art created during this period emerged directly out of the Classical Roman artistic tradition and is often difficult to distinguish as “Christian.” Not only were stylistic elements borrowed from Roman art but so too were subjects and themes; Roman gods like Apollo took on new significance in a Christian context, for example, and the Roman basilica assumed a new function as a Christian building. While indebted to Roman tradition, as Christian art became more confident and reached a wider and wider audience, it began to declare its Christian message with greater force and originality.
Unit 1 Time Advisory show close
Unit 1 Learning Outcomes show close
- 1.1 The Emergence of Christian Art
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1.1.1 Introduction to Early Christian Art
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art—An Introduction” and The Humbox Project: Dr. Diana Edelman’s “The Bible and Art—Lecture Text”
Links: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art—An Introduction” (HTML) and The Humbox Project: Dr. Diana Edelman’s “The Bible and Art—Lecture Text” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an introduction to Early Christian art. To read Dr. Edelman’s lecture text, you may view the PDF document on the webpage, or download the Word document.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: University of California, Berkeley: Professor Isabelle Pafford’s “Christianity”
Link: University of California, Berkeley: Professor Isabelle Pafford’s “Christianity” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please listen to this audio lecture. The beginning of the podcast deals with administrative topics for Professor Pafford’s course, so you may skip over this and begin the video at about 5:11 minutes until the end of the video (approximately 30 minutes).
Terms of Use: The above material is reposted from the University of California -- Berkeley's Webcast, Berkeley. This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercia-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art—An Introduction” and The Humbox Project: Dr. Diana Edelman’s “The Bible and Art—Lecture Text”
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1.1.2 The Earliest Christian Art: Catacombs and Sarcophagi
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1.1.2.1 Catacombs
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art—An Introduction (Part 2)” and “Early Christian Art;” Belmont University: Dr. Joseph Byrne’s “Out of the Depths...The Christian Catacombs of Ancient Rome: An Introduction”
Links: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art—An Introduction (Part 2)” (HTML) and “Early Christian Art;” (HTML) Belmont University: Dr. Joseph Byrne’s “Out of the Depths...The Christian Catacombs of Ancient Rome: An Introduction” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an introduction to Christian catacombs.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art—An Introduction (Part 2)” and “Early Christian Art;” Belmont University: Dr. Joseph Byrne’s “Out of the Depths...The Christian Catacombs of Ancient Rome: An Introduction”
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1.1.2.2 Sarcophagi
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus” and “Sarcophagus in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua (Rome)”
Links: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus” (HTML) and “Sarcophagus in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua (Rome)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an introduction to Christian sarcophagi. Please also watch the brief video (5 minutes) embedded in the “Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus” and “Sarcophagus in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua (Rome)”
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1.1.3 Dura Europos and the Early Christian ‘House Church’
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Dura Europos and the Early Christian ‘House Church’"
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "Dura Europos and the Early Christian ‘House Church’" (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this entry in its entirety for an overview of the development of the earliest Christian churches and a discussion of the most famous surviving example.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Dura Europos and the Early Christian ‘House Church’"
- 1.2 Christian Rome and the Emperor Constantine
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1.2.1 Introduction to Christian Art in Constantine’s Rome
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art and Architecture after Constantine” and United Methodist Women’s version of Constantine Augustus’s and Licinius Augustus’s “Edict of Milan”
Link: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art and Architecture after Constantine” (HTML) and United Methodist Women’s version of Constantine Augustus’s and Licinius Augustus’s “Edict of Milan” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of both webpages for an introduction to the Emperor Constantine’s Christianization of Rome. Please note that the “Edict of Milan” is an English translation of the famous Edict of Milan, which legalized Christianity in the late Roman world.
Terms of Use: This text is in the public domain.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Early Christian Art and Architecture after Constantine” and United Methodist Women’s version of Constantine Augustus’s and Licinius Augustus’s “Edict of Milan”
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1.2.2 Early Christian Churches
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1.2.2.1 Old Saint Peter’s Basilica
- Reading: SUNY College at Oneonta: History of European Medieval Art: Dr. Allen Farber’s “The Early Christian Basilica”
Link: SUNY College at Oneonta: History of European Medieval Art: Dr. Allen Farber’s “The Early Christian Basilica” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read “The Early Christian Basilica” in its entirety. Note that this reading will cover the material you need to know for subunits 1.2.2.1-1.2.2.4.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Dale Kinney’s “St. Peter’s Basilica”
Link: Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Dale Kinney’s “St. Peter’s Basilica” (HTML)
Instructions: Read the entirety of this webpage, and then select the following pages from the drop-down menu “Click to explore:” “Old St. Peter’s Basilica: Description,” “Old St. Peter’s Basilica: Symbolism,” and “Old St. Peter’s Basilica: Function & Liturgy.” For all of these pages, be sure to click on the embedded images for larger versions of these images.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: SUNY College at Oneonta: History of European Medieval Art: Dr. Allen Farber’s “The Early Christian Basilica”
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1.2.2.2 Santa Costanza
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Costanza—Rome, Italy”
Link: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Costanza—Rome, Italy” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage for an overview of this important early Christian church. This subunit is also covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 1.2.2.1.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: Santa Costanza, Rome”
Link: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: Santa Costanza, Rome” (HTML)
Instructions: Please look at each of the images in this gallery, clicking on the first image at the top left and clicking “Next” until you have viewed each image.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Costanza—Rome, Italy”
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1.2.2.3 Santa Sabina
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Sabina—Rome, Italy”
Link: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Sabina—Rome, Italy” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage, carefully examining all images of Santa Sabina, its interior, exterior, and decorative details. This subunit is also covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 1.2.2.1.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker’s “Santa Sabina”
Link: Smarthistory: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker’s “Santa Sabina” (YouTube)
Also Available in:
Abobe Flash
Instructions: Please watch this short video lecture (4 minutes) for an overview of the church of Santa Sabina in Rome.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Sabina—Rome, Italy”
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1.2.2.4 Santa Maria Maggiore
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Maria Maggiore—Rome, Italy”
Link: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Maria Maggiore—Rome, Italy” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage, carefully examining all images of Santa Maria Maggiore, its interior, exterior, and decoration. This subunit is also covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 1.2.2.1.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Richard Bowen (Courtesy Context Travel), Beth Harris, and Steven Zucker’s “Santa Maria Maggiore”
Link: Smarthistory: Richard Bowen (Courtesy Context Travel), Beth Harris, and Steven Zucker’s “Santa Maria Maggiore” (YouTube)
Also Available in:
Adobe Flash
Instructions: Please watch this short, embedded video lecture (5 minutes) for an overview of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: The Vatican: “The Papal Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore” Virtual Tour
Link: The Vatican: “The Papal Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore” Virtual Tour (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please visit all eight virtual locations on this webpage, exploring the three-dimensional view available by means of navigating with your mouse. Try to get a sense for the layout of the building.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Santa Maria Maggiore—Rome, Italy”
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1.3 Constantinople: Rome in the East
- Reading: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayer’s online version of J.B. Bury’s History of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I, Chapter 3
Link: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayer’s online version of J.B. Bury’s History of the Later Roman Empire,Vol. I, Chapter 3 (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this webpage for an introduction to the history of the founding of Constantinople and a discussion of some of its first building projects.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: University of California, Berkeley: Professor Isabelle Pafford’s “The Later Reign of Constantine and the Founding of Constantinople”
Link: University of California, Berkeley: Professor Isabelle Pafford’s “The Later Reign of Constantine and the Founding of Constantinople”
Instructions: Please listen to the entirety of this lecture podcast (38 minutes). The beginning of the lecture deals with class administration topics for Professor Pafford’s course, so feel free to skip this section and begin at about 1:50 minutes.
Terms of Use: The above material is reposted from the University of California -- Berkeley's Webcast, Berkeley. This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercia-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayer’s online version of J.B. Bury’s History of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I, Chapter 3
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Unit 1 Assignment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Writing Assignment: Comparing and Contrasting Early Christian and Roman Art”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Writing Assessment: Comparing and Contrasting Early Christian and Roman Art”
Instructions: Please carefully read through the assessment overview and instructions and view all required images and reading assignments to complete this assessment. When you are done, check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Guide to Responding to Assignment 1.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Writing Assignment: Comparing and Contrasting Early Christian and Roman Art”
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Unit 2: Art of the Early Byzantine Period
In this unit, we will build on what we learned in Unit 1 and turn to the earliest art of the Byzantine Empire, a Christian “new Rome” in the East. This unit begins with Constantine’s founding of Constantinople in the fourth century and continues through the eighth century. In this period, Christian art, while still inextricably linked to the Classical past, began to develop more of its own unique character. The building of churches flourished in Byzantium as well as in Italy. Meanwhile, icon painting emerged with the goal of depicting the “un-seeable,” ethereal qualities of the spiritual world, and religious art took on a newfound imperial glory. By this stage, Byzantium had supplanted Rome and become the new epicenter of the “Western” world.
Unit 2 Time Advisory show close
You may wish to refer to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Glossary for a list of key Byzantine terms.
Unit 2 Learning Outcomes show close
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2.1 Introduction to Byzantine Art and Culture
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “Byzantium (ca. 330-1453);” Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Glory of Byzantium: Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: “Byzantine Art: An Introduction” and “The Early Byzantine Period: The ‘First Golden Age’ of Byzantium (324-730)”
Link: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “Byzantium (ca. 330-1453)”; (HTML) Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Glory of Byzantium: Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: “Byzantine Art: An Introduction” (HTML) and “The Early Byzantine Period: The ‘First Golden Age’ of Byzantium (324-730)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these three webpages for an introduction to Byzantine culture and art. When you have finished reading “Byzantium (ca. 330-1453),” click on each of the images at the top of the page and read the accompanying text for an introduction to specific works of Byzantine art.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “Byzantium (ca. 330-1453);” Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Glory of Byzantium: Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: “Byzantine Art: An Introduction” and “The Early Byzantine Period: The ‘First Golden Age’ of Byzantium (324-730)”
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2.2 Art and Architecture under Justinian
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “The Byzantine State under Justinian I (Justinian the Great)”
Link: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “The Byzantine State under Justinian I (Justinian the Great)” (HTML) and School of Architecture.
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an overview of Byzantium during the reign of Justinian. After you have read “The Byzantine State under Justinian I (Justinian the Great),” click on each of the images at the top of the page and read the accompanying text for specific examples of Byzantine art under Justinian.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: lookuparchitecture.com: A Summary of Western Architecture: Early Christian and Byzantine, The Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Worshipping Community: "Justinian"
Link: lookuparchitecture.com: A Summary of Western Architecture: Early Christian and Byzantine, The Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Worshipping Community: "Justinian" (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage for an overview of Byzantine architecture under the patronage of the Emperor Justinian. Please also view the relevant images and accompanying text below the reading assignment on this page.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “The Byzantine State under Justinian I (Justinian the Great)”
- 2.2.1 Constantinople
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2.2.1.1 Hagia Sophia
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Emma Wegner’s “Hagia Sophia, 532-37;” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Robert Ousterhout’s “Hagia Sophia;” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project’s “A Description of Hagia Sophia Written in 563 by Paul the Silentiary”
Links: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Emma Wegner’s “Hagia Sophia, 532-37;” (HTML) Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Italy, Rome: Professor Robert Ousterhout’s “Hagia Sophia;” (HTML) Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project’s “Description of Hagia Sophia Written in 563 by Paul the Silentiary” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages, closely examining all accompanying images. For Professor Ousterhout’s “Hagia Sophia” webpage, read the full page and then select the following pages from the drop-down menu “Architectural Precedents,” “Setting & Function,” “Groundplan & Elevation,” “Dome,” “Innovative Trends,” and “Symbolic Resonance.” For all of these pages, be sure to click on the embedded images for larger versions.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: Sacred Destinations: Helen Betts’ “Photo: Hagia Sophia, Istanbul” and Smithsonian Magazine: “Inside Hagia Sophia”
Link: Sacred Destinations: “Photo: Hagia Sophia, Istanbul” (HTML) and Smithsonian Magazine: “Inside Hagia Sophia” (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please visit both websites and explore all of the images available. Look through all of the images on the Sacred Destinations image gallery, which will be particularly useful to you as you listen to the assigned audio lecture. For the virtual tour, be sure to click on the link for each of the five locations, and look around thoroughly to get a sense for how the building looks in person.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Apple.com: Whitney Humanities Center: Robert Nelson’s “Hagia Sophia: An Alternative Biblical Architecture of Light”
Link: Apple.com: Whitney Humanities Center: Robert Nelson’s “Hagia Sophia: An Alternative Biblical Architecture of Light” (iTunes U)
Instructions: Scroll down the webpage until you reach the title “Hagia Sophia: An Alternative Biblical Architecture of Light.” Please listen to the entirety of this audio lecture (56 minutes). Review images of Hagia Sophia as you listen to the lecture.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Emma Wegner’s “Hagia Sophia, 532-37;” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Robert Ousterhout’s “Hagia Sophia;” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project’s “A Description of Hagia Sophia Written in 563 by Paul the Silentiary”
- 2.2.2 Ravenna
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2.2.2.1 Mosaics in Ravenna
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Mosaic Decoration in Byzantine Ravenna"
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "Mosaic Decoration in Byzantine Ravenna" (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this overview of mosaic decoration in Byzantine Ravenna.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Mosaic Decoration in Byzantine Ravenna"
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2.2.2.2 San Vitale
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “San Vitale Basilica—Ravenna, Italy;” SUNY College at Oneonta: History of European Medieval Art: Dr. Allen Farber’s “San Vitale”
Links: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “San Vitale Basilica—Ravenna, Italy;” (HTML) SUNY College at Oneonta: History of European Medieval Art: Dr. Allen Farber’s “San Vitale;” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Byzantine Art: Justinian and His Attendants”
Link: Smarthistory: Dr. Allen Farber’s “Byzantine Art: Justinian and His Attendants” (YouTube)
Also Available in:
MPEG
Instructions: Please watch the short, embedded video (10 minutes) with speakers Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker on the “Byzantine Art: Justinian and His Attendants.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: San Vitale Basilica, Ravenna, Italy”
Link: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: San Vitale Basilica, Ravenna, Italy” (HTML)
Instructions: Please look through all of the images on the Sacred Destinations image gallery to get a sense for how the building looks in person and for a sense of context for the mosaic images.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “San Vitale Basilica—Ravenna, Italy;” SUNY College at Oneonta: History of European Medieval Art: Dr. Allen Farber’s “San Vitale”
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2.2.2.3 Sant’Apollinare in Classe
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Sant’Apollinare in Classe—Ravenna, Italy”
Link: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Sant’Apollinare in Classe—Ravenna, Italy” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage for an overview of this church.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: Sacred Destinations: Photos: Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy”
Link: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy” (HTML)
Instructions: Please look through all of the images on the Sacred Destinations image gallery.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’s “Sant’Apollinare in Classe—Ravenna, Italy”
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2.3 Icons and Ivories
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2.3.1 Byzantine Icons
- Reading: Rollins College: Russian Painting: Dr. Alexander Boguslawski’s Russian Painting: Icons “Understanding Icons” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “Icons and Iconoclasm in Byzantium”
Links: Rollins College: Russian Painting: Dr. Alexander Boguslawski’s Russian Painting: Icons “Understanding Icons” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “Icons and Iconoclasm in Byzantium” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an overview of icons. On Dr. Boguslawski’s webpage, click the link at the left “Understanding Icons” to reach the correct section of the site. When you have finished reading the “Icons and Iconoclasm in Byzantium” webpage, click on each of the images at the top of the page and read the accompanying to see examples of icons and iconoclastic art.
Terms of Use: "Understanding Icons" has been reposted by the kind permission of Alexander Boguslawski. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder. Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Rollins College: Russian Painting: Dr. Alexander Boguslawski’s Russian Painting: Icons “Understanding Icons” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Sarah Brooks’ “Icons and Iconoclasm in Byzantium”
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2.3.1.1 Early Icons
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Early Icons"
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "Early Icons" (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this overview of early icon painting.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Early Icons"
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2.3.2 The Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: The Monastery of Saint Catherine: “Introduction” and Belmont University: Dr. Joseph Byrne’s “Sinai Icons”
Links: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: The Monastery of Saint Catherine: “Introduction” (HTML) and Belmont University: Dr. Joseph Byrne’s “Sinai Icons” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of the “Introduction” of “The Monastery of Saint Catherine” for an overview of this important center of Byzantine art. Be sure to click “next” at the bottom of each page to see all eleven of the pages in this section. Read through all of “Sinai Icons” for examples of Early Byzantine icon paintings produced at The Monastery of Saint Catherine. Click on each of the images for a larger view.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: The J. Paul Getty Museum: Past Exhibitions: “Holy Image, Hallowed Ground: Icons from Sinai”
Link: The J. Paul Getty Museum: Past Exhibitions: “Holy Image, Hallowed Ground: Icons from Sinai” (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please navigate through the entirety of this site for an introduction to this important historical site. Be sure to navigate through all of the pages in each section, “Holy Image,” “Holy Space,” and “Holy Site.” After you have navigated through all of the pages, read all of the text, look at all of the images, and watch the short, embedded video (10 minutes) by clicking on “Video Excursion” at the left side of the site.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: Patrimonium-mundi.org's "Saint Catherine Area"
Link: Patrimonium-mundi.org's "Saint Catherine Area" (HTML)
Instructions: Click on each of the five thumbnail images on the map of the Monastery of Saint Catherine to view five separate virtual tours of different areas within the monastery.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: The Monastery of Saint Catherine: “Introduction” and Belmont University: Dr. Joseph Byrne’s “Sinai Icons”
- 2.3.3 Byzantine Ivories
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2.3.3.1 General Overview
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Edmund C. Ryder’s “Byzantine Ivories” and Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: Materials and Techniques: “Ivory and Bone in Byzantium”
Links: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Edmund C. Ryder’s “Byzantine Ivories” (HTML) and Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: Materials and Techniques: “Ivory and Bone in Byzantium” (HTML)
Instructions: Read the entirety of “Byzantine Ivories” for an introduction to Byzantine ivory work. After you have read the entire webpage, click on each of the images at the top of the page and read the accompanying text. Please also read “Ivory and Bone in Byzantium” in its entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Edmund C. Ryder’s “Byzantine Ivories” and Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: Materials and Techniques: “Ivory and Bone in Byzantium”
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2.3.3.2 Works of Art
- Reading: The British Museum: Explore: Highlights: “Ivory Panel Showing an Archangel;” Louvre Museum: Collection: Curatorial Departments: Decorative Arts: Early Middle Ages: Bardoz Marie-Cécile’s “Leaf of a Diptych: The Emperor Triumphant;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Barberini Ivory”
Links: The British Museum: Explore: Highlights: “Ivory Panel Showing an Archangel;” (HTML) Louvre Museum: Collection: Curatorial Departments: Decorative Arts: Early Middle Ages: Bardoz Marie-Cécile’s “Leaf of a Diptych: The Emperor Triumphant;” (HTML) Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Barberini Ivory” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these webpages for an overview of two of the most famous extant Byzantine ivories.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Stephen Zucker’s “Ivory Panel with Archangel”
Link: Smarthistory: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Stephen Zucker’s “Ivory Panel with Archangel” (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please watch the entirety of this short video lecture (5 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The British Museum: Explore: Highlights: “Ivory Panel Showing an Archangel;” Louvre Museum: Collection: Curatorial Departments: Decorative Arts: Early Middle Ages: Bardoz Marie-Cécile’s “Leaf of a Diptych: The Emperor Triumphant;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Barberini Ivory”
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2.3.4 Iconoclasm
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Byzantine Iconoclastic Controversy,” Catholic Encyclopedia: Kevin Knight’s “Iconoclasm;” Professor Paul Stephenson: Translated Sources: “Iconoclasm;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage’s “Iconoclast Decoration of Three Naxos Churches”
Links: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Byzantine Iconoclastic Controversy,” Catholic Encyclopedia: Kevin Knight’s “Iconoclasm;” (HTML) Professor Paul Stephenson: Translated Sources: “Iconoclasm;” (HTML) Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage’s “Iconoclast Decoration of Three Naxos Churches” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an introduction to the Iconoclastic Controversy and its influence on the arts.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Byzantine Iconoclastic Controversy,” Catholic Encyclopedia: Kevin Knight’s “Iconoclasm;” Professor Paul Stephenson: Translated Sources: “Iconoclasm;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage’s “Iconoclast Decoration of Three Naxos Churches”
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Unit 2 Assignment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Writing Assessment: Formal Analysis of a Byzantine Icon”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Writing Assessment: Formal Analysis of a Byzantine Icon”
Instructions: Please carefully read through the assessment overview and instructions and view all required images and reading assignments to complete this assignment. When you are done, check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Guide to Responding to Assessment 2.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Writing Assessment: Formal Analysis of a Byzantine Icon”
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Unit 3: Art of the Middle Byzantine Period (843-1204)
In this unit, we will build on what we learned in Unit 2 and turn to the Middle Byzantine Period. The Middle Byzantine Period saw a resurgence in Byzantine political and artistic power after the end of iconoclasm. During this period, churches, manuscripts, and icons were all produced in large numbers with images that would have been destroyed in the earlier iconoclastic period. The unit emphasizes the Byzantine Empire’s contact with its neighbors, which was on the rise during this period. In fact, Byzantine influence extended as far as Kiev and Lebanon at the time.
Unit 3 Time Advisory show close
Although much of this period was defined by newfound security and power, Byzantium’s position became unstable by the beginning of the thirteenth century, and Western Crusaders sacked the city in 1204, a defining moment in Byzantine art and history.
Unit 3 Learning Outcomes show close
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3.1 Overview of Middle Byzantine Art and Culture
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Glory of Byzantium: Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: “The Middle Byzantine Period: The ‘Second Golden Age’ of Byzantium (843-1261)” and The Saylor Foundation’s “The Schism of the Eastern and Western Churches”
Link: Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Glory of Byzantium: Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: History: “The Middle Byzantine Period: The ‘Second Golden Age’ of Byzantium (843-1261)” (HTML) and The Saylor Foundation’s “The Schism of the Eastern and Western Churches” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read these webpages for an overview of the Middle Byzantine period.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Glory of Byzantium: Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: “The Middle Byzantine Period: The ‘Second Golden Age’ of Byzantium (843-1261)” and The Saylor Foundation’s “The Schism of the Eastern and Western Churches”
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3.1.1 Architecture
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Middle Byzantine Architecture;” Municipality of Distomo, Greece: Archaeological Receipts Fund’s “Hosios Loukas;” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Robert Ousterhout’s “Middle Byzantine Architecture;” ArchNet: “Bodrum Mosque”
Links: The Saylor Foundation’s “Middle Byzantine Architecture;” (PDF) Municipality of Distomo, Greece: Archaeological Receipts Fund’s “Hosios Loukas; (HTML) ” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Robert Ousterhout’s “Middle Byzantine Architecture;” (HTML) ArchNet: “Bodrum Mosque” (HTML); United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's "Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios" (HTML)
Instructions: Please read each of these webpages for an overview of Middle Byzantine architecture. Click on each image to see a larger version of the image. On the “Bodrum Mosque” webpage, click on “View thumbnail images” and look at all of the images in this gallery.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Middle Byzantine Architecture"
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "Middle Byzantine Architecture" (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the information linked above in its entirety.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: 360globe.net's "Hosios Loukas"
Link: 360globe.net's "Hosios Loukas" (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Click on the "Courtyard" and "Interior" links listed under "Virtual Tours" to take a virtual tour of this site.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Middle Byzantine Architecture;” Municipality of Distomo, Greece: Archaeological Receipts Fund’s “Hosios Loukas;” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Robert Ousterhout’s “Middle Byzantine Architecture;” ArchNet: “Bodrum Mosque”
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3.1.2 Painting after Iconoclasm
- Reading: Boundless: “Illuminated Manuscripts” and “Ivory Carving and Painting”
Link: Boundless: “Illuminated Manuscripts” (PDF) and “Ivory Carving and Painting” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of the text on these webpages to become familiar with the various types of illuminated manuscripts and ivory carvings and paintings of the era.
Terms of Use: These articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. They are attributed to Boundless, and the original versions can be found here and here.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Boundless: “Illuminated Manuscripts” and “Ivory Carving and Painting”
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3.2 The Spread of Byzantine Art and Culture
- Reading: Artopos Online Cultural Center: Myriobiblos Library: Charles Diehl's "Byzantine Art"
Link: Artopos Online Cultural Center: Myriobiblos Library: Charles Diehl's "Byzantine Art" (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the following two paragraphs from the text on this page. You should start with the paragraph that begins with "From the tenth to twelfth centuries Byzantine Constantinople appeared . . ." (approximately 3/4 down the page) and also read the next paragraph that begins "At about the same time Byzantium exercised..."
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Artopos Online Cultural Center: Myriobiblos Library: Charles Diehl's "Byzantine Art"
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3.2.1 The East
- Reading: Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Two-Sided Icon”
Link: Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Two-Sided Icon” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage for an example of Byzantine art of the Arab world.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Apple.com: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Sunday at the Met: Professor Thomas F. Mathews’ “Icons in Early Armenia”
Link: Apple.com: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Sunday at the Met: Professor Thomas F. Mathews’ “Icons in Early Armenia” (iTunes U)
Instructions: Please watch the entirety of this video lecture (35 minutes) for a discussion of Byzantine art in Armenia, presented by one of the leading scholars in Byzantine art. Be sure to pay careful attention to images, dates, and other specific information; it may help to take notes as you watch the video.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Two-Sided Icon”
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3.2.2 The West
- Reading: Professor Paul Stephenson, Professor Thomas E.A. Dale, and Professor Chris Lavanos: Byzantine Mellon Workshop 2003-4: “Byzantium and the West: Introduction;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Bishop Guther’s Shroud;” Professor Paul Stephenson’s “Bamberger Guthertuch;” Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’ “St. Mark’s Basilica—Venice, Italy;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Mosaics in the Atrium of S
Links: Professor Paul Stephenson, Professor Thomas E.A. Dale, and Professor Chris Lavanos: Byzantine Mellon Workshop 2003-4: “Byzantium and the West: Introduction;” (HTML) Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Bishop Guther’s Shroud;” (HTML) Professor Paul Stephenson’s “Bamberger Gunthertuch;” (HTML) Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’ “St. Mark’s Basilica—Venice, Italy;” (HTML) Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Mosaics in the Atrium of Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these five webpages.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Web Media: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice”
Link: Sacred Destinations: “Photos: St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice” (HTML)
Instructions: Please view each of the images in this image gallery for a more detailed look at the architecture and decoration of the Basilica of Saint Mark in Venice, Italy.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Professor Paul Stephenson, Professor Thomas E.A. Dale, and Professor Chris Lavanos: Byzantine Mellon Workshop 2003-4: “Byzantium and the West: Introduction;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Bishop Guther’s Shroud;” Professor Paul Stephenson’s “Bamberger Guthertuch;” Sacred Destinations: Holly Hayes’ “St. Mark’s Basilica—Venice, Italy;” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Mosaics in the Atrium of S
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3.2.3 The Slavs
- Reading: Sam Houston State University: History 365: An Orientation in Russian History to 1917: Nicholas Pappas’ version of William Richard Morfill’s “A Brief History of Medieval Russia;” University of Michigan: Russian Language Program’s “Russian Icon Painting;” A World History of Art’s “History of Art: Byzantine Art”
Links: Sam Houston State University: History 365: An Orientation in Russian History to 1917: Nicholas Pappas’ version of William Richard Morfill’s “A Brief History of Medieval Russia;” (HTML) University of Michigan: Russian Language Program’s “Russian Icon Painting;” (HTML) A World History of Art’s “History of Art: Byzantine Art” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an introduction to Byzantium’s contact with the Slavic peoples and for an introduction to early Russian art.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sam Houston State University: History 365: An Orientation in Russian History to 1917: Nicholas Pappas’ version of William Richard Morfill’s “A Brief History of Medieval Russia;” University of Michigan: Russian Language Program’s “Russian Icon Painting;” A World History of Art’s “History of Art: Byzantine Art”
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3.3 The Fourth Crusade
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Department of Medieval Art and the Cloisters’ “The Crusades (1095-1291)” and Fordham University’s Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Paul Halsall’s version of Nicetas Choniates’ “The Sack of Constantinople (1204)”
Links: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Department of Medieval Art and the Cloisters’ “The Crusades (1095-1291)” (HTML) and Fordham University’s Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Paul Halsall’s version of Nicetas Choniates’ “The Sack of Constantinople (1204)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of these webpages for an overview of the Fourth Crusade.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Apple.com: The Institute of Catholic Culture: Professor Brendan McGuire’s “The Crusades: Sacking Constantinople”
Link: Apple.com: The Institute of Catholic Culture: Professor Brendan McGuire’s “The Crusades: Sacking Constantinople” (iTunes U)
Instructions: Listen to the entirety of this lecture (1 hour, 8 minutes) for an overview of the Fourth Crusade and the 1204 sack of Constantinople.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the Webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Department of Medieval Art and the Cloisters’ “The Crusades (1095-1291)” and Fordham University’s Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Paul Halsall’s version of Nicetas Choniates’ “The Sack of Constantinople (1204)”
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Unit 3 Assignment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Writing Assessment: Discussion of Byzantine Influence and Interaction”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Writing Assessment: Discussion of Byzantine Influence and Interaction”
Instructions: Please carefully read through the assessment overview and instructions and view all required images and reading assignments to complete this assignment. When you are done, check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Guide to Responding to Assessment 3.”
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Writing Assessment: Discussion of Byzantine Influence and Interaction”
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Unit 4: Art of the Late Byzantine Period (1204-1453+)
In this final unit, we will turn to the Late Byzantine Period and its eventual demise. Like the Middle Byzantine Period, the Late Byzantine Period was a time of resurgence. After the sack of Constantinople, the empire was restored under the rule of the Paleologan Dynasty. (The period is therefore often called the “Paleologan Renaissance.”) The arts flourished both in Constantinople as well as in its many satellite regions, and especially in Russia. The period was also marked by conflict as tensions between the Western (Catholic) Church and the Byzantine (Orthodox) Church grew. The Byzantine Empire was simultaneously feeling the pressure from the Muslim East. By 1453, the empire’s position was so precarious that it could not sustain its position, and the Ottoman Turks sacked Constantinople, marking the official end of the empire. Although the Byzantine Empire ceased to exist from this date forward, its influence continued to be felt for centuries. As the Italian Renaissance was in its infancy, artists borrowed from Byzantium’s rich tradition. Further away, in the emerging Russian Empire, Byzantine art found a new home and a new culture.
Unit 4 Time Advisory show close
Unit 4 Learning Outcomes show close
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4.1 Introduction to Late Byzantine Art and History
- Reading: Artopos Online Cultural Center: Myriobiblos Library: Charles Diehl's "Byzantine Art"
Link: Artopos Online Cultural Center: Myriobiblos Library: Charles Diehl's "Byzantine Art" (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the last section of this text. You should start reading with the paragraph that begins "From the end of the twelfth century one can observe . . ." and read through to the end of the text on this webpage.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage aboveSee a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Late Byzantine Architecture"
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "Late Byzantine Architecture" (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the information linked above in its entirety.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Artopos Online Cultural Center: Myriobiblos Library: Charles Diehl's "Byzantine Art"
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4.2 Late Byzantine Architecture
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Late Byzantine Architecture,” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Ousterhout’s “Kariye Camii” and Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Kariye Camii: “Pictorial Decoration: Sequence & Style”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Late Byzantine Architecture,” (PDF) Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Italy, Rome: Professor Ousterhout’s “Kariye Camii” (HTML) and Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: “Kariye Camii: Pictorial Decoration: Sequence & Style” (HTML)
Instructions: First read the Saylor Foundation’s introduction to late Byzantine architecture. Then read the “Kariye Camii” webpage in its entirety, selecting each of the pages from the drop-down menu “Click to explore” and reading those respective pages as well. For all of these pages, be sure to click on the embedded images to see larger versions of those images. On the “Pictorial Decoration” webpage, click “view image” after each discussion.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Late Byzantine Architecture,” Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Professor Ousterhout’s “Kariye Camii” and Columbia University: The Medieval Architecture Online Teaching Project: Kariye Camii: “Pictorial Decoration: Sequence & Style”
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4.3 Painting in the Late Byzantine Period
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “Visual Expressions of the Faith: Painted Icons,” Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt’s “Frescoes and Wall Painting in Late Byzantine Art,” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Enthroned Madonna and Child (Kahn Madonna
Links: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “Visual Expressions of the Faith: Painted Icons;” (HTML) Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt’s “Frescoes and Wall Painting in Late Byzantine Art;” (HTML) Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Enthroned Madonna and Child (Kahn Madonna)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of each webpage. In “Visual Expressions of the Faith: Painted Icons,” be sure to click “next” at the bottom of the page, in order to read all six pages in this section. On the “Frescoes and Wall Painting in Late Byzantine Art” webpage, click on the cited images, viewing all eight images and their identifying information.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Pippa Couch and Rachel Ropeik’s “Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy”
Link: Smarthistory: Pippa Couch and Rachel Ropeik’s “Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy” (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please watch the entirety of this brief video lecture (7 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “Visual Expressions of the Faith: Painted Icons,” Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt’s “Frescoes and Wall Painting in Late Byzantine Art,” Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “Enthroned Madonna and Child (Kahn Madonna
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4.4 Byzantium’s Legacy
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “Peoples of the Byzantine Sphere” and Professor Paul Stephenson and Professor Thomas E.A. Dale’s Byzantine Mellon Workshop 2002-3: “The Byzantine Commonwealth: East Roman Culture and its Legacy in the Modern World”
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “Peoples of the Byzantine Sphere” (HTML) and Professor Paul Stephenson and Professor Thomas E.A. Dale’s Byzantine Mellon Workshop 2002-3: “The Byzantine Commonwealth: East Roman Culture and its Legacy in the Modern World” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this section of “Themes in Late Byzantine Art” for an overview of the interaction between Byzantium and its neighbors. Be sure to click “next” at the bottom of the text to see all nine of the pages in this section. Please also read the entirety of Professor Paul Stephenson and Professor Thomas E.A. Dale’s webpage.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “Peoples of the Byzantine Sphere” and Professor Paul Stephenson and Professor Thomas E.A. Dale’s Byzantine Mellon Workshop 2002-3: “The Byzantine Commonwealth: East Roman Culture and its Legacy in the Modern World”
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4.4.1 Islam
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “The Byzantine Sphere and the Islamic World” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt and Charlotte Appleyard’s “Byzantine Art under Islam”
Link: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “The Byzantine Sphere and the Islamic World” (HTML) and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt and Charlotte Appleyard’s “Byzantine Art under Islam” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of “The Byzantine Sphere and Islamic World” section of “Themes in Late Byzantine Art” for an overview of the interaction between Byzantium and the Islamic world. Be sure to click “next” at the bottom of the text to see all four of the pages in this section. For “Byzantine Art under Islam,” read the text and then click on each of the images at the top of the page for a discussion of specific works of art.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557): Publications for Educators: Explore and Learn: Themes in Late Byzantine Art: “The Byzantine Sphere and the Islamic World” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt and Charlotte Appleyard’s “Byzantine Art under Islam”
- 4.4.2 The West
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4.4.2.1 General Overview
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt’s “The Religious Relationship between Byzantium and the West;” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Jennifer Meagher’s “Italian Painting of the Later Middle Ages”
Links: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt’s “The Religious Relationship between Byzantium and the West;” (HTML) and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Jennifer Meagher’s “Italian Painting of the Later Middle Ages;” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read all of “The Religious Relationship between Byzantium and the West” and “Italian Painting of the Later Middle Ages,” and then click on each of the images at the top of the page for a discussion of specific works of art. Be sure to click “next” at the bottom of the text to see all five of the pages in this section.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Annie Labatt’s “The Religious Relationship between Byzantium and the West;” and Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Jennifer Meagher’s “Italian Painting of the Later Middle Ages”
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4.4.2.2 Works of Art
- Reading: Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “The Crucifixion”
Links: Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “The Crucifixion” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage and view the slideshow for larger images and details of this work of art.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker’s “Berlinghieri’s St. Francis Altarpiece”
Link: Smarthistory: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker’s “Berlinghieri’s St. Francis Altarpiece” (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please watch this brief video lecture (7 minutes) for a discussion of one of the most important Proto-Renaissance works of art painted in the Byzantine style.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: National Gallery of Art: Collection: Paintings: Italian Painting of the 13th-14th Centuries: “Tour: Byzantine Art and Painting in Italy during the 1200s and 1300s”
Link: National Gallery of Art: Collection: Paintings: Italian Painting of the 13th-14th Centuries: “Tour: Byzantine Art and Painting in Italy during the 1200s and 1300s” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of the “Overview” page. Then, click “Start Tour” to see a selection of images and to read a description of each of these images.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Qantara, Mediterranean Heritage: “The Crucifixion”
- 4.4.3 Russia
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4.4.3.1 History
- Reading: The New York Public Library: Russia Engage the World, 1453-1825: History: “1453-1584: Moscow Becomes the ‘Third Rome’”
Link: The New York Public Library: Russia Engage the World, 1453-1825: History: “1453-1584: Moscow Becomes the ‘Third Rome’” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entirety of this webpage for an introduction to Russian history after the fall of the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople. When you have finished reading the text, please click on the two images, “Russian Manuscript Illumination” and “Gospels for a Russian National Saint?” for a discussion of two works of art from this period.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The New York Public Library: Russia Engage the World, 1453-1825: History: “1453-1584: Moscow Becomes the ‘Third Rome’”
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4.4.3.2 Icons
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Pippa Couch and Rachel Ropeik’s “Icon of Saint George (the ‘Black George’)”
Link: Smarthistory: Pippa Couch and Rachel Ropeik’s “Icon of Saint George (the ‘Black George’)” (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please watch the entirety of this brief embedded video lecture (4 minutes) for a discussion of this Russian icon.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Rollins College: Russian Painting: Dr. Alexander Boguslawski’s “Icon Painting” and “Icons: The Holy Trinity”
Links: Rollins College: Russian Painting: Dr. Alexander Boguslawski’s “Icon Painting” (PDF) and “Icons: The Holy Trinity” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read both readings in their entirety. Clearer, larger views of the paintings are included after the text.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of Alexander Boguslawski. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Smarthistory: Pippa Couch and Rachel Ropeik’s “Icon of Saint George (the ‘Black George’)”
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Unit 4 Assignment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Writing Assessment: Discussion of the Fate of Byzantine Art”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Writing Assessment: Discussion of the Fate of Byzantine Art”
Instructions: Please carefully read through the assessment overview and instructions and view all required images and reading assignments to complete this assessment. When you are done, check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Guide to Responding to Assessment 4.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Writing Assessment: Discussion of the Fate of Byzantine Art”
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Final Exam
- Final Exam: Saylor Foundation's ARTH401 Final Exam
Link: The Saylor Foundation's ARTH401 Final Exam
Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Final Exam: Saylor Foundation's ARTH401 Final Exam
