Synopses & Reviews
Mostly religious in function, but preserving the classicism of Greco-Roman art, Byzantine buildings and art objects communicate the purity and certainties of the public face of early Christian art. Focusing on the art of Constantinople between 330 and 1453, this book probes the underlying motives and attitudes of the society which produced such rich and delicate art forms. It examines the stages this art went through as the city progressed from being the Christian center of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its crisis during attack from the new religion of Islam, to its revived medieval splendor and then, after the Latin capture of 1204 and the Byzantine reoccupation after 1261, to its arrival at a period of cultural reconciliation with East and West.
Review
"Thehandbook of Byzantine art for both lay readers and specialists."--Annabel Wharton, Duke University
"The reader is left with a powerful impression of how the Byzantines themselves must have looked upon the art that surrounded them."--David Buckton, The British Museum
"Because Byzantine art portrays a society in change, defining the period is a big undertaking....The book's organization lends to its accessibility; Cormack breaks down the era's political and social developments, revealing their complexity, and time lines and sidebars make the topic more approachable....The list of Internet links to museums with Byzantine art collections will be very useful for students."--Library Journal
Review
"Thehandbook of Byzantine art for both lay readers and specialists."--Annabel Wharton, Duke University
"The reader is left with a powerful impression of how the Byzantines themselves must have looked upon the art that surrounded them."--David Buckton, The British Museum
"Because Byzantine art portrays a society in change, defining the period is a big undertaking....The book's organization lends to its accessibility; Cormack breaks down the era's political and social developments, revealing their complexity, and time lines and sidebars make the topic more approachable....The list of Internet links to museums with Byzantine art collections will be very useful for students."--Library Journal
About the Author
Robin Cormack is Professor in the History of Art in the University of London, and Deputy Director of the Courtauld Institute of Art. Previous books are
Writing in Gold and
Painting the Soul (Runciman Award 1998).
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Rome with a Christian Face? Early Byzantine Art 330-527
Chapter 2: In the Shadow of St Sophia: Byzantine Art in the Sixth Century and its Aftermath 527-680
Chapter 3: The Definition of an Orthodox Christian Empire: Byzantine Art 680-843
Chapter 4: Developments and Diversions in the Consolidated Empire: Middle Byzantine Art 843-1071
Chapter 5: The New Spirituality of the Eleventh Century and the World of the Twelfth Century
Chapter 6: Art in the Service of a Failing Society: Late Byzantine Art 1204-1543
Notes
Timeline
Glossary
Further Reading
Museums and Websites
List of Illustrations
Index