Author: Jean Lassus Publisher: ISBN: Category : Art, Byzantine Languages : en Pages : 180
Book Description
"The first thousand years of the Christian Church and its great monuments is the sphere of this unusual book. From the origins of the Church and its development in Rome, Ravenna and Byzantium, through the story of early Western Europe and, finally, to the Golden Age of Byzantium and its widespread influence in all the Christian East, Professor Jean Lassus traces this fascinating story in a magnificent book including over 200 illustrations, 117 in colour. We are presented here with the epic of Christianity and its great art from the catacombs to Byzantine Russia. The secret life of the first Christians in Rome and their subsequent acceptance by the state in the 4th century survive for us only through the paintings in the catacombs, and the sculpture of the sarcophagi. Gradually signs of the increasing power and wealth of the Church are found in the majestic basilicas and glittering mosaics of the Italian capital. The influence of Constantine's building programme, both in Italy and in the Holy Land, are analysed with outstanding authority. Professor Lassus, an expert in this field, explains the evolution of Byzantine Church architecture with the development of the dome, and its diffusion through the empire. He examines in detail the important role of Ravenna, combining the traditions of Rome and the East, and pays particular attention to the astonishing variety of the mosaic decoration. During the period of Iconoclasm (the banning of all images in religious art in the 8th century) the figurative arts of Byzantium suffered irreparable damage, but the revoking of this decree a century later resulted in magnificent frescoes and mosaics full of expression and grace. The influence of these works spread from Constantinople throughout her empire from the eastern shores of the Black Sea through Russia and as far as Greece and Sicily. Cultural activities in the West between the 6th and 11th centuries were more scattered than those of the Christian East. The amazingly complex decorative patterns and intertwining motifs inherited from Celtic art found flourishing expression in Ireland. The Irish illuminated manuscripts such as the Books of Kells and Durrow had a far-reaching influence on the manuscripts of Carolingian Europe while the products of Charlemagne's 'renaissance' were a crystallisation of the barbarian arts and a step towards the impending expansion of the Romanesque. In the end, it is the sumptuous magnificence of Byzantine art which is most memorable - the brilliant mosaics, the shining gold and silver, the jewels, enamels, the luxurious silks and embroideries - but the reason for this imperial manifestation is the same that prompted the more modest expressions in the catacombs and the beautiful simplicity of early church architecture. Professor Lassus tells the story of this dramatic period in a clear and immensely readable way and the astonishing variety of works of art are reproduced in faithful detail to illustrate handsomely for the reader this unique and absorbing book." --
Author: Richard Krautheimer Publisher: Yale University Press ISBN: 9780300052947 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 566
Book Description
By now a classic, it presents in a single volume a coherent overall view of the history and the changing character of Early Christian and Byzantine architecture, from Rome and Milan to North Africa, from Constantinople to Greece and the Balkans, and from Egypt and Jerusalem to the villages and monasteries of Syria, Asia Minor, Armenia, and Mesopotamia.
Author: John Beckwith Publisher: Yale University Press ISBN: 9780300052961 Category : Art Languages : en Pages : 410
Book Description
Focusing on mosaics, sculpture, paintings, jewelry, and silk, the author examines this artistic style as an expression of religious thought
Author: Mary Cunningham Publisher: Lion Hudson Ltd ISBN: 1912552299 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 281
Book Description
This is an accessible two-part introduction to key periods of Christian history. Faith in the Byzantine World For many people the Byzantine world is an intriguing mystery. Here, Mary Cunningham presents readers with an ideal guide to this most fascinating of empires. Covering the period between 330 and 1453, the author begins by providing an outline of the history of the Byzantine Church, and then looks at key aspects of its outward expression, including the solitary ideal; holy places and holy people; service to the community; the nature of belief; and art, architecture and icons. Faith in the Medieval World The medieval period constituted a turbulent stage in religious history. Gillian R. Evans begins her immersive account by providing an overview of the development of Christianity in the West in the Middle Ages, before looking at key aspects of medieval faith: the Bible and belief; popular piety and devotion; the Crusades and the idea of 'holy war'; politics and the Church; rebellion against authority; and the road to Reformation. This analysis is a must for all those keen to understand one of the most enthralling periods of history.
Author: Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.) Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art ISBN: 1588394573 Category : Art Languages : en Pages : 354
Book Description
This magnificent volume explores the epochal transformations and unexpected continuities in the Byzantine Empire from the 7th to the 9th century. At the beginning of the 7th century, the Empire's southern provinces, the vibrant, diverse areas of North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, were at the crossroads of exchanges reaching from Spain to China. These regions experienced historic upheavals when their Christian and Jewish communities encountered the emerging Islamic world, and by the 9th century, an unprecedented cross- fertilization of cultures had taken place. This extraordinary age is brought vividly to life in insightful contributions by leading international scholars, accompanied by sumptuous illustrations of the period's most notable arts and artifacts. Resplendent images of authority, religion, and trade—embodied in precious metals, brilliant textiles, fine ivories, elaborate mosaics, manuscripts, and icons, many of them never before published— highlight the dynamic dialogue between the rich array of Byzantine styles and the newly forming Islamic aesthetic. With its masterful exploration of two centuries that would shape the emerging medieval world, this illuminating publication provides a unique interpretation of a period that still resonates today.
Author: Philip Rousseau Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1317890515 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 342
Book Description
Charting the first six hundred years of the Christian movement, THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CENTURIES carries the reader from the world of second-temple Judaism to the Byzantine age, the rise of Islam, and the beginnings of medieval European polities.With a combination of rare tact and acuity, Philip Rousseau takes the measure of a generation of scholarship on early Christianity and the late Roman world. He stresses the importance of shifting historical consciousness, the continuity and development of ideas, and the urge for social respectability. Paying the greatest attention to the 'inner' components of Christian life, the resulting story captures fully the major figures: Paul, the gospel writers, the early 'apologists', and the great figures of the 'patristic' age, including the Cappadocian Fathers, Augustine and Gregory the Great.
Author: Jean Lassus
Author: John Lowden
Author: Richard Krautheimer
Author: William Lloyd MacDonald
Author: John Beckwith
Author: William L. MacDonald 
Author: Mary Cunningham
Author: Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)
Author: British Museum. Department of British and Mediaeval Antiquities and Ethnography
Author: Philip Rousseau