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Byzantine Art: Unlocking the Secrets of a Lost World
For more than a millennium, from its creation in 330 A.D. until its fall in 1453, the Byzantine Empire was a cradle of artistic effervescence that we are only beginning to rediscover. Endowed with the rich heritage of Roman, Eastern and Christian cultures, Byzantine artists developed an architectural and pictorial tradition, marked by symbolism, whose influence extended far beyond the borders of the Empire. Today, Italy, Northern Africa, and the Near East preserve the vestiges of this sophisticated artistic tradition, with all of its mystical and luminous beauty. The magnificence of the palaces, churches, paintings, enamels, ceramics and mosaics from this civilisation guarantees Byzantine art’s powerful influence and timelessness.
- GenresNonfictionArtHistory
72 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 24, 2020
A very good introduction to Byzantine art and I’ve found it especially interesting since my interest in renaissance art.
As a renaissance art enthusiast, I admit, one often falls prey to the concept of the “dark age”/“medieval”, canceling that period as artistically unimportant (with the help and encouragement from Vasari). but more and more we see new studies about how that concept is totally wrong and how the Byzantine art has its start, middle, and an end like all art movements. Artistically speaking, it also has its delicacy, expressionism, and mannerism that sometimes even looks like an early 20th work.
So the shift from Byzantine art to the renaissance should not be considered as a 360-degree shift, but a slow change of style throughout the times. That’s the point of this book, and it’s refreshing, while also helps to keep the historical timeline in perspective.
As a renaissance art enthusiast, I admit, one often falls prey to the concept of the “dark age”/“medieval”, canceling that period as artistically unimportant (with the help and encouragement from Vasari). but more and more we see new studies about how that concept is totally wrong and how the Byzantine art has its start, middle, and an end like all art movements. Artistically speaking, it also has its delicacy, expressionism, and mannerism that sometimes even looks like an early 20th work.
So the shift from Byzantine art to the renaissance should not be considered as a 360-degree shift, but a slow change of style throughout the times. That’s the point of this book, and it’s refreshing, while also helps to keep the historical timeline in perspective.
March 15, 2021
More a description of individual works than a treatment of Byzantine art overall.
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October 6, 2021Wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but still useful. I particularly like that they included a timeline at the back.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews