Thesis
The most famous feature of Byzantine art is the development of its anti-naturalistic character. Byzantine art mainly focused on symbolism, especially religious symbolism. The works produced to serve the Eastern Orthodox Church are still use today in the amazing synthesis of aesthetics, doctrine, and theology. Anonymous. The Icon, History, Symbolism and Meaning 圣像的 历史、象征和意义 . Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Hong Kong, 2010
This famous bilingual English-Chinese publication contains full-color reproductions of St.Peter and Paul Orthodox Church icons. The writer explains how the Orthodox Church is unimaginable without burning license, icons, and lit candles. The Orthodox Church is referred to as a church of tradition and the utilization and existence of icons in the Church is a mirror of this tradition. Christian art was first seen in the catacombs which were subversive rocks cut burial places which spread generally in the sixth century. The catacombs' images are simple, created with several bush strokes and a variety of colors. The subject of the images varies from raising of Lazarus, three young men praising God, the Eucharistic meal, and Jesus carrying a lamb. This is the time when Christianity was accepted and the catacombs were fairly elaborate.
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Bayet, Charles. Byzantine Art . New York: Parkstone International, 2014 .
Charles Bayet's fascinating book narrates how the Byzantine Empire was a cradle of artistic effervescence whose rediscovery has only begun. In power for more than a millennium, the Byzantine Empire inherited the artistic and splendid culture of the Romans. Gifted with the rich heritage of Christian, Eastern, and Roman cultures, Byzantine artists developed a pictorial and architectural custom, marked by allegory, whose impact has spread far beyond the Empires borders. Today, North Africa the Near East, and Italy reserve the remnants of this sophisticated artistic custom, with all of its glowing and mystical beauty. The brilliance of the enamels, palaces, churches, paintings, and mosaics from this civilization assures the timelessness and powerful impact of Byzantine.
Matvieieva, Yuliia. "Knots on veils and knots on columns in byzantine art: origin, use, symbolism." The Ethnology Notebooks 143, no. 5 (2018), 1246-1254. doi:10.15407/nz2018.05.1246 .
Matvieieva’s work provides insights on both the Eastern and classical Western art of the Byzantine Empire. The writer explains that the art was inspired by the classical of Rome and Greece and the Near East. Precious stones, gold, and ivory were used in mosaics of famous churches like Hagia Sophia to not only represent the Empire's wealth but also to show the value and importance they put on the Church and religion. The art was to praise the Christian's faith and express its mystery. The luminous paintings popularized Christianity and captured the spirit of the Bible. Symbols like keys, cross, wheat, animals, and chalices had a special meaning to the faith.
Onians, John. "2. The Other Hippocampus: Neuroscience and Early Christian Art." Envisioning Worlds in Late Antique Art , 2018, 29-44. doi:10.1515/9783110546842-003 .
Onians and John show how Byzantine art has evolved as a pictorial expression embedded in each of its cultural elements specifically the religious context which was used as a tool to inspire devotion and teach the doctrine across the Roman Empire in the early Christian church. Byzantine artists do not attempt to copy human figures from a physical point of view. However, they try to abstract the forms to show a theological meaning and depict a spiritual reality. Thus, the corporeal changes in a manner that the figure assumes an appearance exemplified by exaggerations and prominences to render is a part of a heavenly sphere than the earthly one.
Sabau, Isabelle. "The Power of Symbolism in Byzantine Art." The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy , 1998, 152-157. doi:10.5840/wcp20-paideia1998123 .
The power of symbolism art by Isabelle Sabau discusses the importance and use of the images that are within the Byzantine arts context. The writer explains how the works produced during the Byzantine era I the service of the Eastern Orthodox Church are still active today and she further provides the remarkable synthesis of aesthetics, doctrine, and theology. The inflexible program of the Church decoration was to be a moral element to go along with the liturgy. The majesty of the images portrays the spiritual realities of the Christian religion and God's Glory. Also, the images were to provide contemplation of the invisible realm of the spirit.
Warland, Rainer. "6. Defining Space: Abstraction, Symbolism, and Allegory on Display in Early Byzantine Art." Envisioning Worlds in Late Antique Art , 2018, 120-136. doi:10.1515/9783110546842-007 .
Rainer and War land thoroughly explain how Byzantine Empire art evolved and what it portrayed. The Byzantine work consists of work created from the 4 th to the 15 th century encompassing all parts of the Slavic world, North Africa, Slavic world, and the Italian peninsula. The earliest Christian churches had decorations including mosaics and icons which were meant Christians to access the spiritual world. Since mosaics were placed in a spiritual world, they also gave believers some access to the world. Similarly, there are also political messages confirming the power of the rulers in the art.
