Byzantine Christian Art

By

Susan Daly

Byzantine Christian art is very stylized. It can be done in mosaic or painted but

usually contains a lot of gold. The following examples come from the Haia

Sophia which was the Church of the Holy Wisdom built by Justinian.It was made into a mosque in 1453 after the

Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople.

Byzantine Emperor

An angel

Christ

Mary and Jesus surrounded by an Emperor and Empress.

An Empress

Christ

Mary holding baby Jesus

St. John the Baptist

Emperor Constantine

Emperor Justinian holding

Haia Sophia

Interior of Haia Sophia

Entrance to Haia Sophia

Elaborate columns with Justinians initials

One small area in the center

Haia Sophia

The following images come from the rock cut churches of Goreme in

Cappodocia, central Turkey. These are images painted by hermit monks in

cave churches carved out of Tufa , a soft volcanic layer in this area.

Some of the Apostles

Christ with some Apostles

Damage to the faces was done during the Iconoclast period

St George

Constantine on the left and his mother Helen on the right.

A rock cut church

More simple decorations

Many churches here