Byzantine and mosaic paint.
Byzantine paint has two very interesting modalities: the mural, destined to decorate the interior of the temple; and easel, which produces small pieces on wooden boards, called icons, that is, images.
The mural painting was performed in oil or tempering, and were great compositions of religious theme, of a symbolic nature and very compatible with the abstract mentality of the eastern peoples.
In these paintings it is not about imitating the nature or image of man in details but is preparing a rational representation of their concept. It does not matter if the representation of the figures in the set in the size of them makes sense in relation to each other, or if the scenarios are realistic, or if the hands have the appropriate proportions in relation to the rest of the body, for these painters while the message was clearly understood all other elements are secondary and totally subordinated to the main purpose of propaganda.
Main themes in Byzantine Bovedas paintings.
In the vaults and domes it is frequently decorated with the images of:
– The Virgin
– The descent of Jesus.
– The Christ.
– The resurrection
– The final judgment
– The glory.
Conventions in Byzantine painting.
They are reflected from artistic elements that are significant and characteristic of Byzantine art, such as:
- Hierarchical disproportion
- Hieratism.
- The repetition of gestures.
- Do not leave empty spaces.
- The chromatic fullness.
- LA Ptolemaic perspective.
- Rigidity in the figure.
- The Frontality dares from which they emphasize drama and solemnity.
In Byzantine painting changes in representation are manifested of religious scenes and the representation of the human figure over time and therefore in the five different periods of Byzantine art. These go from being hieratic, and without expression of movement to suggest dynamism through the position of feet and arms and the inclination of the body forward. The stereotyped Frontality of previous Byzantine times is abandoned.
The figures go from being completely inexpressive and languid to show the representation of a certain drama in the scenes. Changes are also experienced in color treatment becoming in some of the paintings quite intense the contrast between the figure and the background using a warmer range with intense oranges and yellow. The narrative character is accentuated as an precursor element of the Romanesque art period of art.
The rhythm in Byzantine paint.
The painters during the Byzantine period followed the beginning of the rhythm in the painting, depending on the way in which their predecessors had developed the pictorial works in their time.
According to this principle, the works should be adapted to the time and movement of the viewer, with the aim of immersing them emphatically in the history that was represented, as if they were within them experiencing what was represented in them, but in the present time of the spectator, so that they will be current, close, relevant to the one who observes them.
This was very useful in a time when the works, mainly religious, are commissioned as a means of liturgical cult propaganda.
They used a sequence to tell the stories, a cadence that was rhythmically teaching through images, concatenation, the order of the events that were related. Historiated borders are an example of this.
It must be remembered that at that time, the majority of the population was illiterate, so the paintings were the equivalence of the teaching notebooks.
The Byzantine mosaics.
It is not possible to talk about art mural Byzantine without referring to one of his most beautiful creations: the mosaic. It consisted of the composition of great scenes, generally religious, but not painted but made with small pieces of ceramic or marble of colored colors called “Tessels”, These small ceramic pieces were hitting a base prepared to contain them and order them and to which the previous drawing of the figures that wanted to be represented had been made.
Shocking effects of lights and shadows were achieved as well as penetrating contrasts between the figure and the background obtaining an effective result that supported the propaganda intention for which these mosaics were created by infusing idolatry and deep religious fervor in the spectator.
The Byzantine mosaic It is distinguished by rich materials, with abundance in the use of gold. They are glass mosaics but emit a brilliant sensation and also a magnificent luxury and opulence in ornamentation, although they show poverty in the movement of the figures and the expression in the faces of the characters. Alargated and serious figures reinforce the solemn and religious of the theme especially in the decorations of early times of Byzantine art.
Elements that influence the alongated representation of the figures.
– The first has to do with the propaganda character of religion in Byzantine art. They tried to establish by size; hierarchies of religious figures. All are represented much higher than the average stature of humans, regardless of whether they were priests, religious or holy ministers, although the latter by assumptions are represented much higher than the other figures in the composition. (High ministers than others, saints greater than ministers, the virgin and the Christ higher than others etc. This visually tends to the parishioners feel, humble, and small. But very identified with the passage that is told.
It is an imposing effect that induces the servility and acceptance of religious dogmas and the stories that are told in these sequential paintings, whose main role is to teach religious passages in an comprehensive way for a public who did not know how to read or write.
– The second has to do with the visual perspective resulting from observing these paintings from a lower perspective, that is, from the great hall where parishioners met. These paintings were made in mosaics placed in the high walls, domes, vaults. Therefore, the alongates figures had an overwhelming effect and the hierarchies could be better appreciated in the representation of ecclesiastical and saints. These paintings seen from a very high and strategically located candlestick light, (it was stipulated where to place them so that the effect was intensified), were very effective in terminus of effects of drama and propaganda of faith. Separated eyes and great intensify that drama of expressions in figures that are represented with statism and solemnity.
Mosaics corresponding to the iconoclast period in which the religious imagines were prohibited.
The great diversity of colors and nuances of these “Tessels “ allowed to give the figures all the effects of painting, in regard to tones, shadows and shapes.
The use of the mosaic in the Byzantine culture is different from the use that was given in Rome.
– In Byzantium It is used for the decoration of the walls of the church by preferably placing them in high places where this overwhelming and overwhelming effect was achieved.
– In Rome They were used as a pavement, that is, to travel on luxurious floors.
During the fight period iconoclastic (They oppose the use of images); A fierce destruction ended with many of these images and painting and mosaic were forced to vary the themes and eliminate the use of images under penalty of being destroyed.
Countless beautiful paintings, mosaics and sculptures were destroyed; As mentioned above but already for the ninth century, art was again present as an instrument of catechization and vehicle of devotion.
Byzantine glass art is addressed in an article separately.