EARLY CHRISTIAN ART – MIDDLE AGES

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART

In the early Christian period, the sculpture was almost completely abandoned. (except for the adorning sarcophagi), although a glorious exception here is the wooden door of the Church of Santa Sabina in Rome. Earliest polychromes, created in the Roman catacombs. are devoid of greater artistic value. but Christian painters gradually gave more and more full expression to facial features., to present feelings of pain next to rich symbolism. grief and ecstasy. As a means of expression, however, the first Christians preferred mosaics over frescoes.. This laborious art form was previously associated with floor decoration, but it proved to be an excellent decorative agent in the new churches. The difficulty of depicting movement in this medium has led to the creation of a rigid system of artistic forms, which was spreading more and more The oldest surviving cycle, located in the Roman church of Santa Maria Maggiore. comes from the second quarter of the fifth century and is characterized by a relatively small size. A little later group in Mausoleo di Galla Placidia in Ravenna, city, which was already the capital of the Western Empire, is more monumental, and bold geometric patterns, extensive imagery and magnificent colors are perhaps the first great milestone in Christian art..

Ravenna remained a centre of innovation in painting, when a century later it became practically the Italian cultural and political capital of Byzantium. Many exquisite mosaic cycles have been created, three of which surpass everything, what was created in Constantinople itself, or anywhere else in the Eastern Empire: in the church of San Vitale, where mosaics are organically fused with architecture, In Sant'Apollinaire Nuovo, whose procession on the frieze has no precedent in Italian art and in the church of Sant Apollinare in Classe, where apse mosaics create an unparalleled atmosphere of peace and mystery.

MIDDLE AGES

At first, Italy played a rather inferior role in the pan-European process of emerging from the "Dark Ages".”. The Byzantine tradition proved to be particularly durable., especially in Venice and Sicily, where strong trade ties with Constantinople were maintained. Over the course of the twelfth century, Byzantine craftsmen proved, that the art of mosaic is far from exhausting its possibilities, and provided works worthily upholding the Ravenna tradition at the Capella Palatina in Palermo and at the cathedrals of Cefalu and Monreale, as well as, of course, in the Basilica of St.. Brand in Venice.

Many Italian cycles of frescoes from this period are still under Byzantine influence, and this style was also an important element of the great Xl-century artistic movement supported by the Abbey of Monte Cassino. Unfortunately, almost all the works of this school have been lost, although the murals in Sant Angelo in Formis near Capua give a rough idea of ​​their character.

Due to the high cost of the frescoes, from the second half of the 12th century. Chart pictures are playing an increasingly important role, especially in Tuscany. Topics fall into three main categories: Madonna and Child assisted by saints, portrait of a saint, with scenes from his life and Christus Triumphans. large painted crucifix showing Christ with open eyes and outstretched arms.

The art of sculpture did not manage to get out of the crisis for a long time, but played a key role in the Renaissance, and in its dissemination, the Lombard and Emilian stonemasons deserved the most. From the very beginning of the 12th century. a master called Wiligelmo sculpted in Modena probably the oldest of the great cathedral portals - this form was to become one of the distinguishing features of medieval European art. His bas-reliefs depict expressive figures grouped with great narrative efficiency and indicate at least a cursory knowledge of classical works. The same sculptor may also have created the magnificent episcopal throne in the Church of San Nicoló in Bari.. Everything points to this, that the creator of most of the other great portals in northern Italy in Sacra di San Michele. San Zeno in Verona and the cathedrals of Verona. Ferrara, Piacenza and Cremonie was Nicoló, student of Wiligelm. At the end of the century in Parma and the surrounding area, this style was developed by Benedetto Antelami. who created the graceful bas-relief Entombment, decorating the baptist-terium of the cathedral.

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