In the early days, Byzantine sculpture is an extension of art called Hellenistic and produce portraits of great strength.
Subsequently the symbolic character of the works becomes the most important; Above even its expression and aesthetic representation, responding to ecclesiastical theology and power.
The topics prior to the iconoclast period were more related to the religious issues that were also used in the rest of artistic manifestations such as painting and mosaic although we also see more everyday issues and reasons alluding to nature. Many represent animals loaded with Christian symbology, dove, deer, peacock, or acrostic signs (writing form in which taking the first letter; syllable or word of different lines and then together with them, a message is read) they contained a great theological significance.
The most important works of Byzantine sculpture are small works such as Diptics and boxes, carved in various materials including ivory; that It was used for the realization of luxury and religious objects, in charge of the elites of Constantinople, it was brought from places like Egypt and India.
The diptychs and triptychs made in ivory in the period of Byzantine art represent very well the mastery that these artisans reached, where the concern for the detail and a perfect finish are elements that stand out. In many of these sculptures, the influence of the Roman models who took as inspiration is observed but adding the characteristic Byzantine touch with serious and laconic expressions in the figures. The statism of these figures are represented by the solemnity of the message.
The elaboration of these articles in ivory does not require a complex structure as workshops, and numerous people is rather an artisanal work of very care and detail made by the artisan and the occasional assistant but their results are of an incomparable beauty and exquisiteness; but accessible only to wealthy hierarchies.
The struggle between iconodules (in favor of images) and iconoclasts (opponents of images) resulted in the year 754, all art -based art was prohibited in the Eastern Church. At the end of the religious images of lump and prohibit their cult, the sculpture lost importance and was reduced to the minor arts of ivory, enamel, bronze and gold, materials in which the low relief is worked with great mastery.
After the culmination of this iconoclast period there is a return to the cult of the images, but not to return to idolatry and under the influence of the new Islamic currents the human figure disappears in the exempt statutory.
The most outstanding works are the ornaments of the capital with vegetable and animals conflicting animals such as those of San Vital de Ravena or the Sarcophagi with themes such as the Good Shepherd.
In the sculpture, its best sample is found in the reliefs of the sarcophagi. The themes represented in the persecution stage were geometric, astral and animal figures, with unequal and concave moldings (strígilos).
After the year 313 the figurative themes, inspired by the Roman models are the most usual, on the fronts of the sarcophagi, reliefs appear, only that initially follow the classical aesthetics; An example we have in the probo sarcophagus, but then the forms with flat designs and figures with the same size are reproduced. These were located in the plans or spaces with arches that give unity to the scene.
The themes of the sarcophagi that is where you can best find examples of the sculpture refer to topics such as:
– The life of Christ
– Old Testament scenes (Daniel among the lions)
– Sacrifice of Abraham, Adam and Eve, etc.).
Among the most important sarcophagi is
– June Basso (Vatican)
– The dogmatic or the Trinity. (Lateran Museum).
I recommend watching the video that summarizes together in 4 minutes the fundamental elements of Byzantine art treated on this page.