The Art Of The Early Byzantine Empire

A Christian Roman Empire

What you'll learn
Students will learn the key developments, vocabulary terms, and works of art which are associated with early Byzantine art.
Requirements
Students who have completed the preceding courses "The Art of the Late Roman Empire" as well as "Ancient Christian Art will be able to appreciate some elements' continuity, but this course also can stand alone and provide a solid grounding in the earliest Byzantine artworks.
Description
The Byzantine Empire was the last vestige of the Roman Empire, now with the eastern city of Constantinople as its capital. However, what distinguished the Byzantine from the former Roman Empire was its embrace of Christianity and the blurred line between religious and political authority to which its artworks amply testify. This course takes a look at how Christian symbolism mingles with the political and economic realities of the day and how the language of power coalesced into what would become standard iconographies for both Eastern and Western Christian art for centuries to come.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 A Christian Roman Empire

Lecture 2 The Demise of Classical Naturalism

Section 2: Blurring the Lines between Spiritual and Worldly Authority

Lecture 3 Christ and Emperor as One

Lecture 4 The Fountain of Life

Lecture 5 Byzantine Ivories with Course Vocabulary Review

High school, university, and graduate students will find both a review of key pieces and developments as well as original research and connections which are exclusive to this course.