Roman&byzantine art and achitecture

1. Roman& Byzantine art and architecture
Byzantine Art: Mosaic
Byzantine achievements in mosaic decoration brought this art to an unprecedented level of
monumentality and expressive power. Mosaics were applied to the domes, half-domes, and
other available surfaces of Byzantine churches in an established hierarchical order. The
center of the dome was reserved for the representation of the Pantocrator, or Jesus as the
ruler of the universe, whereas other sacred personages occupied lower spaces in
descending order of importance.
Painting
An important aspect of Byzantine artistic activity was the painting of
devotional panels, since the cult of icons played a leading part in both
religious and secular life. Icon painting usually employed the encaustic
technique. Little scope was afforded individuality; the effectiveness of
the religious image as a vehicle of divine presence was held to depend
on its fidelity to an established prototype. A large group of devotional
images has been preserved in the monastery of St. Catherine on Mt.
Sinai.
Byzantine Architecture
The architecture of the Byzantine Empire was based on the great legacy of Roman formal
and technical achievements. The most imposing achievement of Byzantine architecture is
the Church of Holy Wisdom or Hagia Sophia. It was constructed in a short span of five years
(532–37) during the reign of Justinian. Also, a great Byzantine
architectural achievement is the octagonal church of San Vitale
(consecrated 547) in Ravenna. The church of St. Mark's in
Venice was based on a Byzantine prototype, and Byzantine
workmen were employed by Arab rulers in the Holy Land and in
Ottonian Germany during the 11th cent.