Byzantine Art
Art research papers on the Byzantine era art movement can be custom written by the writers at Paper Masters. Our writers focus on the fact that during the course of its long history, the Roman Empire, to large to be successfully governed, was split into Eastern and Western halves. They note that the Eastern Roman Empire eventually became known as the Byzantine Empire, with its capital in Byzantium (later Constantinople). Therefore, Paper Masters can help you bring out the fact that Byzantine art is a highly stylized school that emerged in the Greek-speaking eastern half of Europe and the Middle East. You can view beautiful examples of Byzantine art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Byzantine Art and Symbolism
The most prominent feature of Byzantine art is the development of its anti-naturalistic character. This was a radical departure from earlier Greek and Roman art that sought to portray human figures as accurately as possible. Byzantine art, in contrast, was more focused on symbolism, especially religious symbolism. There is course, continuing debate as to whether Byzantine art was a regression in artistic ability or the result of oriental influence.
Byzantine art is largely comprised of two themes:
- Religious Byzantine theme
- Imperial themes important to Byzantine society
Wealth in that empire was concentrated in the hands of the imperial family and the Orthodox Church hierarchy, the two groups that sponsored artistic endeavors. The Byzantine style also encompassed architecture, with a particular high point being reached during the reign of Justinian I (527-565), who commissioned the construction of hundreds of churches both in Constantinople (the most famous being the reconstruction of the Hagia Sophia) and throughout his empire.