Research Catalog

Title

Byzantium : from antiquity to the Renaissance / Thomas F. Mathews.

Author

Mathews, Thomas F.

Publication

New Haven, Conn. ; London : Yale University Press, [2010].

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

176 p. : ill. (chiefly col.); 24 cm.

Summary

With images culled from eleven hundred years of history, this comprehensive survey explores the Byzantine Empire's vast range of artistic splendors that indelibly informed the art of modern Europe. Thomas Mathews emphasizes that the Byzantines' interest in humanism and painting the human figure became the essential bridge between classical and renaissance Europe. Starting with a brief history of Byzantium as a basis for understanding Byzantine theology and art, he places the empire's artistic development within a broad cultural and historical context. Featuring more than one hundred color plates of mosaics, metalwork, architecture, frescoes and religious artifacts, as well as maps, diagrams, and a timeline, this work provides an introduction to the full range of Byzantine art and iconography.

Subject

• Art, Byzantine
• Idols and images > Byzantine Empire
• Byzantine Empire > Civilization
• Byzantine Empire > History

Genre/Form

History

Note

• Originally published: London: Harry N. Abrams, 1998.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 166-169) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Imperial city of Constantinople. Constantine's city ; The classical heritage of the city ; Justinian's city ; The period of crisis ; Medieval Constantinople ; The decline of Constantinople -- Icons. Pagan origins ; Sixth-century icons ; Icons in church ; Iconoclasm and the theology of icons ; The restoration of icons ; Icons in public ; The Mother of God -- Secular domestic world. The palaces of Constantinople ; The fashions of palace life ; Country life -- Temple of transformation. Early Byzantine churches ; Medieval Byzantine church design ; The medieval decorative system ; Christ in the dome ; The selected narrative ; The sanctuary ; The narthex -- Cosmopolitan art. Art and diplomacy ; Italy ; Palaiologan art ; The Renaissance.

ISBN

• 9780300167665 (pbk.)
• 0300167660 (pbk.)

OCLC

• 601346634
• SCSB-10429352

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library