Byzantine Art Research Paper

Byzantine art was being created from the 6th century all the way until the 15th. Knowing a little history on this time period will help us better understand the art that was created. Byzantinism came from a split in the Roman empire. Byzantine art was inspired by classical Roman art, even though they spoke Greek. Orthodox Christianity was very prevalent, and it spread quickly through art. Churches were very important to them, and much time and thought were put into the creation of these sacred places. Some key characteristics of Byzantine art are icons and mosaics, both of which the Emperor Justinian piece exhibits. The church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy is where the mosaic is located. This church was constructed very differently from most churches at the time, as it in the shape of an octagon. The church is centrally planned, drastically different from the other churches of its time. The artwork inside of the church overshadows the beautiful architecture, though, with the Emperor Justinian mosaic being one of the highlights. …show more content…
It is a massive 104 in x 144 in, made up of hundreds of thousands of small pieces of glass. Emperor Justinian is standing in the middle of the work, wearing a crown and a purple robe. Him wearing purple is significant because purple cloth was very expensive and Christ is pictured wearing purple in a different mosaic in the same church. Justinian has several soldiers standing to his right, as well as clergy to his left, establishing himself as leader of state and church. The piece is very colorful, showing beautiful golds, red, and blues. All the men in the mosaic look very serious, and all have a similar stance, facing the