The Middle-Byzantine Period c. 843-1204 - Christian Art History

The Middle-Byzantine Period c. 843-1204

Christian Art and Paintings History > Early Christian and Byzantine Art > The Middle-Byzantine Period c. 843-1204

The Middle-Byzantine Period c. 843-1204*

It is during this period that Byzantine art reached its greatest height. The final form of the domed inscribed-cross type of church was established during the ninth century, and this form has remained basically unchanged until today. It was completely in accord with the liturgical requirements of the church and at the same time it satisfied aesthetic ideals. Its structure also accentuated the hierarchic
order of holy church images, finally established at the same period. One can thus understand that the relationship between church architecture and its decoration is of the utmost importance for a full understanding of Middle Byzantine art.

It must furthermore be understood that the building of basilicas did not come to an end during this period. Their decoration was subject to the same hierarchical order of images as was that of churches designed on a centralised plan. Examples of such basilicas are to be found in Sicily and Kastoria, Greece.

The Byzantine Church must itself be seen as an icon, giving grand expression to a divine cosmic order. Each individual icon has its definite hierarchic position in the church structure, each representing an event of dominant liturgical significance at specific times of the year - the Nativity at Christmas and the Ascension at Easter. Then it is forgotten for a year while other scenes from the Twelve-Festival Cycle (Dodekaorton) are emphasised. The Byzantine liturgy forms an eternally repeated cycle: the centralised dome allows no definite direction to emerge, as happens in the Western Church whose architecture is directed towards the altar in the east. While historical, narrative, moral and didactic elements are stressed in the West, the Eastern liturgy is ahistorical - it is not tied to time or place; its character is sublime and transcendental.

In the East the Twelve-Festival Cycle of the Life of Christ on earth forms the central core around which the liturgy is enacted. The physical space of the church becomes the stage. In it the communal and harmonious spirit of the Holy Trinity is stressed. Corners or angles within the church architecture are ignored by the artist - the action within one scene reads on, across the curved surface of a pendentive, for example the Nativity at Hosios Loukas. The multiple parts of the church are subordinated to an overall unity and an intimate relationship is created between the world of the beholder and the world of the image. The beholder is bodily enclosed in the grand icon of the church and can in this way participate directly in the events before him.

The heavenly zones, consisting of the dome, the drum, the pendentives (the connecting links between the dome and the higher vaults), the higher vaults and the sanctuary, are dedicated to the depiction of the most sacred personages, that is, Christ and the Virgin, angels, prophets and evangelists. The cavity of the dome, enclosing real space, symbolises the centre of the universe where, during the Middle-Byzantine period, Christ Pantocrator, the Supreme Judge, is usually depicted. Formally and spiritually the rest of the church's decoration is connected with this central theme. In basilicas, where there is no dome, Christ is depicted above the Virgin in the apse (Monreale).

A host of Angels are usually depicted in the upper zone of the drum of the dome, while the prophets, foretelling the Coming of Christ, are represented in a lower zone of the drum. The evangelists, who made Christ's activities known on earth, are frequently represented in
the pendentives below the drum of the dome. In the Panagia Mavriotissa in Kastoria they are depicted in the apse, below the Virgin. The Virgin fills the conch of the apse. She is depicted in various defined attitudes, for instance, as the Virgin Orante, standing erect, hands raised in prayer, or as the Platytera, seated on the throne with the Infant Christ on her lap.

While the Ascension is the theme of the dome during the early phase of the Middle Byzantine period, it is depicted, in the vault in front of the apse at the height of the Middle Byzantine period. Frequently however, this place is occupied by the image of the Hetoimasia (the
Prepared Throne with the Symbols of the Passion) or by Pentecost (the Distribution of the Holy Ghost). The straight walls of the sanctuary are usually decorated with the Holy Communion or the Divine Liturgy. On the lower parts of the wall are represented the Church Fathers who were responsible for the writing of the liturgy, that is Sts. John, Basil, Gregory and Nicholas.

The prothesis and the diaconicon, the side apses in the eastern part of the church, were not subject to such strict rules as the main apse. Scenes from the Old Testament prefiguring the Passion of Christ or scenes from the Life of a Saint are usually depicted here. The Life of Christ is represented in twelve or more scenes in the second zone of the church, or the higher vaults, squinches, pendentives and on the walls. These scenes are frequently continued in the narthex of the church where we might find scenes from the Life of the Virgin or from that of a local saint. The narthex in the Middle- Byzantine church has its own heavenly zone, either defined by the image of Christ Pantocrator over the entrance to the nave, or by one or more cupolas dedicated to Christ Emmanuel or to the Virgin.

A hierarchy of saints, holy physicians and warriors, monks, male and female martyrs, and these holy personages closest to man's everyday existence, are presented on the lower walls of the church and they seem to support like pillars the loftier personages.

The remaining parts of the building, particularly the summit or cross-vaults, spandrels, narrow strips of wall, and lunettes, are filled with the busts of saints in medallions or with decorative motifs. In these depictions the artist never implies a standing figure and, therefore,
here was no need, even here, to make use of optical illusionary conventions. In the Annunciation, for instance, the angel confronts the Virgin across the physical space created by the triumphal arch in front of the apse.

The artist during the Middle-Byzantine period fulfils a function similar to that of the priest, because he gives symbolic representation to the events of the liturgy. His work was subject to very definite rules from which, in essence, he was not allowed to deviate. The icon had to be visible, and easy to recognise and understand, in order to establish the desired relationship between the beholder and the prototype it represented. The artist had to clearly define personal features, so that there could be no doubt as to what holy person was represented. Usually the depiction of such holy figures was accompanied by an inscription of their names or that of the scene. Well-known holy figures, such as Peter, were usually also to be recognised by their attributes. The sources of information for these artists were primarily the Bible, illuminated manuscripts and theological writings.

The artist followed the laws of frontality. The holy person was depicted frontally so that a direct confrontation between the beholder and the icon was possible and dialogue with the prototype could take place. To achieve this, use was made of the physical nature and space of the church. Its architectural surfaces, as we have pointed out, facilitated frontality. This frontality made spatial symbols unnecessary and created an atmosphere of restrained tension, drama and expectancy.

Any deviation from this frontality was significant. A half-frontal attitude usually indicated a secondary figure, such as the angels in Christ's Baptism in Hosios Loukas and Daphni. A profile usually signified an evil person, such as Judas in the Betrayal of Judas (Hosios
Loukas). Figures depicted in this way seem incomplete, have no direct contact with the beholder, and do not share in the veneration accorded the true image. There are no rear views: this would have meant that the person depicted was "not present".

In order to emphasise spiritual content, the artist transformed three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional surface, dematerialising all volume and limiting detail. Figures such as the Virgin and Christ were often elongated, not only to stress their spirituality but to indicate their Importance.

The symmetrical or centralised composition - which was believed to be sacred - was preferred for such scenes as the Transfiguration, the Crucifixion, the Baptism (Daphni, Hosios Loukas) and for the Hospitality of Abraham (Patmos). In such compositions the attention
the beholder could be directed to the principal personage, who was usually placed centrally in a scene.

Scenic details never detracted from the essential action, and the meaning of this action or situation had to be made clear and plausible. In the Middle-Byzantine period architectural and landscape features were thus reduced to a bare minimum.

Principal figures like Christ or the Virgin were accentuated and placed in the most conspicuous positions. They were also frequently depicted larger than were the secondary figures. The Virgin and the angels in the conch of the apse at Lagoudera (Cyprus), the Resurrection (Hosios) and the Doubting Thomas (Hosios Loukas) provide examples. Furthermore, they isolated from the group by a spatial interval, as in the Ascension at Lagoudera by painted red bands, as may be seen around the figure of St. Bacchus (Hosios Loukas) or by a tree as in the Ascension in H. Sophia, Salonica. Usually there are two distinct groups - the protagonist, or the main action, and the secondary figures or the result of the action - for example the Washing of the Feet (Hosiasi Loukas) in which Christ is depicted in the centre, with a group of Apostles to either side.

*Based on notes compiled by Karin M. Skawran for the University of South Africa.

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