Byzantine and Early Medieval Art

The artists of the Byzantine and early Medieval period focused less on natural or realistic properties in their art and more on the stylization of their subject and the piece as a whole. This was done to evoke specific emotions and feelings in the viewer. Two pieces from this period that demonstrate this quite well are the Crucifixion (Stokstad 250) and the Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels (Stokstad 245).

The Crucifixion is an eleventh century mosaic from the Church of the Dormition of Daphni, Greece. This work demonstrates the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as Mary and the apostle John mourn below him. The background appears to be of gold which creates the illusion of another world, or some empty space. However, the flowers at the foot of the cross may represent life or keep the viewer grounded in the material world. Mary and John’s movements almost seem restrained with the way that they are posed. Perhaps this was done to impose feelings in the viewer to strengthen their means of worship and prayer. Also, the top of the mosaic has been worn away, but perhaps angels were above the cross praying for him, which could imply the power and importance of prayer as well. Something I noticed immediately that is very unrealistic was the blood and water spewing out of Christ’s right side as if it was a fountain. It seems like the Virgin Mary is reaching out to catch his holy blood. This reminds me of communion in a Christian church, when one takes the blood and body of Christ in worship to thank him for his sacrifice. This could also attribute to baptismal rites. Another subject that is heavily stylized is the skull laying in the foreground; the nose is shaped as a sharp triangle and it shows only three teeth. This skull is said to symbolize Golgotha, which is where the crucifixion supposedly happened outside of ancient Jerusalem. The blood dripping down from Jesus’ feet onto the skull demonstrate the belief that he was the new Adam, and that his sacrifice saved all of the people from the corruption and sins of Adam and Eve. For example, in I Corinthians 15:22, Paul wrote, “For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life”. The purpose of this mosaic was to help devout Christians establish an emotional and intellectual connection with the divine power through worship and meditaiton.

    

Christians in the early Byzantine period used painted panels of Mary, Christ and the Saints to aid them in prayer during worshiping services. These were known as icons. The Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels is an icon from the second half of the sixth century. Mary, who was also known as Theotokos, which is Greek for “the bearer of God”, is centered and surrounded by two saints and two angels. She was known as a forgiving and powerful mother, also referring her to the Seat of Wisdom. Mary is holding Jesus in her lap as she sits on a golden throne. Other depictions such as this one perhaps imply that she is the Throne of Solomon. There are two angels behind Mary and Jesus looking upward toward the Heavens; neither four of them are looking straight forward. The two saints, on the other hand, are gazing right at the viewer. These men, known as George (right) and Theodore (left), were brave and courageous saints who exemplify the happiness of the Church instead of paganism. These two saints appear to be the only stylized aspects of the painting. Their garments completely hide the human form underneath them. There is no sense of depth or dimensionality achieved and they are completely motionless. Perhaps their intense stares and crosses at hand are meant to intimidate the viewer into staying faithful to God. Their stiff and long posture gives off a sense of security while their peering eyes and blank faces demand conditional respect and devotion to God.       

Propagandistic Sculpture in Roman History

At the start of the Common Era, Roman leaders used imperial portraits of themselves as a source of propaganda. Two sculptures in particular that reveal this quality are the bust of Commodus as Hercules and the Portrait Head of Caracalla.

Commodus Aurelius reigned from 180 CE to 192 CE after his father Marcus Aurelius. Although Marcus was an attentive and powerful conquer, these characteristics did not succeed to his son’s rule. Commodus had no sense of political authority, or social skills. He treated himself to luxury and thought very highly of himself. As one can see, Commodus is crowned with the head of the Nemean lion, has Hercules’ club and is holding the golden apples of the Garden of Hesperides.  Also, the ringlets of his loose curly hair are a classic example of Greek portraits, thus implying he was a god. This proves that he believed to be the manifestation of the god Jupider and the epitome of Hercules. He was really feeling cocky when he wanted to acquire consulship presented in a gladiator’s ensemble, which in turn led to his arranged death by his mistress and affiliates. His conceited personality and flamboyant attire go along perfectly with the stylized body build portrayed in the statue. The meaning of Commodus’s statue is aimed towards the Roman people. He was conceited and his ego seemed to be larger than his political popularity.

The other figure of Caracalla on the other hand was tough as nails but needn’t express it with extravagant things. The high contrast and intensity of his eyes alone gives him a strong sense of authority and power. Caracalla and his brother, Geta, shared the co-emperor position. However, Caracalla wanted the power all to himself so he killed his brother and became emperor of Rome from 211 CE to his death in 217 CE. This clearly demonstrates his selfish and dominating habits from the get-go. The angry expression and hardness of his face depicts his lack of tolerance for anything that disturbs his authority. His short and well-trimmed hair gives him a solid and ready-to-fight appearance. He guarded the Empire and confronted enemies with control and stern authority. This is what makes his statue more widely understood among others; he wanted to be seen as a powerful leader and to have an influence over everyone, including his enemies.

These two statues are similar in a sense that they both try to portray strength and power, however, Commodus is bluffing and Caracalla is the real power-house. These figures also represent a shift in the constitution of imperial rule from a previous ruler such as the peaceful Agustus to the firm grip of Caracalla.     

Our Perception of Grecian Sculpture

Just a few hundred years before Common Era, Greek artists sculpted white marble to create life-like statues of people. Historians and scholars claim that these statues were painted instead of leaving them white, which, due to age, is how we see them today. When art historian Joachim Winckelmann presented the idea of “good taste” during the eighteenth century, he gave the impression that art in its simplest form is the most beautiful. He was convinced that the Greek people intentionally left their sculptures paint-less and praised the Greek artists for their pure and simple style. According to Winckelmann, less is more.

I feel that this idea brings us to think that the art we view from thousands of years ago is how the artists intended it to look then. We can study art in its state today, but we also need to look further back to figure out how it looked when it was made. Paint, for example, may flake off over time. It seems unrealistic that a piece of art can look the same for thousands of years without any sign of corrosion or damage. Understanding the history of the piece is going to help us learn about the Greek style and how we as human beings have developed new artistic techniques over time.

Greek art is notorious for appearing naturalistic. However, they used the paint to give their work a more natural look. The Greeks rendered the human body perfectly and I think the paint may have distracted from the beauty of the form in a way that wouldn’t be pleasing, especially with the use of busy patterns and primary colors. After seeing the reconstructions of the Peplos Kore and the Archer, I think that they would seem more realistic with paint, but I do not like the color choice so much. I love bright and vibrant colors, but they almost seem too doll-like. I never realized that these old sculptures were originally painted until now. I believed that the Greeks left these statues as white marble to emphasize the power of the gods, as if they were not human. I agree with Winckelmann in the sense that the pure unpainted marble makes the statues more beautiful.  The fact that the remains of Grecian art are so old and precious gives them an angelic and immortal kind of vibe when I see them today. Most of the sculptures are nude and the viewer can see the figure in great detail. It is almost as if the sculptures have a natural glow without paint. I am extremely fascinated with the human body so seeing these great sculptures without color allows me to see how the light hits the curves of the human body. For example, the sculpture of the Dying Warrior demonstrates the muscles throughout a man’s body. The high contrast of the highlights and shadows in his abdomen and face are really eye catching and I love the vividness of it. I cannot get this effect as much if the figure is painted.