Byzantium existed from 395 to 1453. The history of its emergence is as follows. In 330, a new capital of the Roman Empire was founded on the site of the ancient Greek settlement of Byzantium Constantinople, named after Emperor Constantine. In 395, the empire split into two parts - Western and Eastern, and the last - the Eastern Roman Empire - subsequently became known as Byzantium. and even after the empire itself ceased to exist. This name was given to it by the European thinkers of the New Age with the intention of separating Byzantium from ties with Greco-Roman culture, including it entirely in the "dark Middle Ages" of the Eastern type.
However, the Byzantines themselves would not agree with this point of view. They called themselves "Romans", i.e. Romans, and its capital Constantinople - the "second Rome", having full reason for that.
Byzantium became a worthy successor ancient culture. She successfully continued further development best achievements Roman civilization. The new capital - Constantinople - jealously and not without success competed with Rome, quickly becoming one of the most beautiful cities of that time. It had large squares, decorated with triumphal columns with statues of emperors, beautiful temples and churches, grandiose aqueducts, magnificent baths, impressive defensive structures. Along with the capital in Byzantium, many other cultural centers developed - Alexandria. Antioch, Nicaea. Ravenna, Thessaloniki.
Byzantine culture became the first in the full sense Christian culture. It was in Byzantium that the formation of Christianity was completed, and for the first time it acquired a complete, classic shape in his orthodox, or Orthodox, versions. Played a huge role in this John of Damascus(c. 675 - before 753) - an outstanding theologian, philosopher and poet, author of the fundamental philosophical and theological work "The Source of Knowledge". He completed and systematized Greek patristics, the so-called teaching of the "fathers of the Church", thanks to which Christianity rose to the level of real theory. All subsequent theology, to one degree or another, is based on the ideas and concept of John of Damascus. He is also the creator of church hymns.
A huge contribution to the formation and establishment of Orthodox Christianity was also made by John Chrysostom(c. 350-407) - an outstanding representative of art church eloquence, Bishop of Constantinople. His sermons, panegyrics and psalms were a huge success. He became famous as a passionate exposer of all injustice, a fighter for the realization of the ascetic ideal. John Chrysostom placed active mercy above all miracles.
Continuing and developing the theory of Roman law, Byzantine scholars developed their own original concept, known as Byzantine law. Its basis was the famous Codification of Justinian (482-565) - Byzantine emperor, who first gave a systematic exposition of the new law. Byzantine law has found application in many European and Asian countries of that era.
At the same time, Byzantine culture was significantly influenced by neighboring eastern countries, especially Iran. This influence affected almost all areas of public and cultural life. In general, the culture of Byzantium was a real crossroads of Western and Eastern cultures, a kind of bridge between East and West.
The evolution of Byzantine culture knew several ups and downs. First bloom falls on the V-VII centuries, when the transition from slavery to the feudal system was completed in Byzantium. Emerging feudalism carried both western and eastern features. In particular, it was distinguished from Western Europe by the rigid centralization of state power and the tax system, the growth of cities with their lively trade and craft, and the absence of a clear class division of society. In the 6th century, under Justinian. Byzantium reached its largest territorial size and became a powerful Mediterranean power.
IN VI11-IX centuries Byzantium is experiencing troubled times, marked by a sharp aggravation of socio-political contradictions, the source of which was the struggle for power between the metropolitan and provincial nobility. During this period, an iconoclasm movement arose against the cult of icons, declared a relic of idolatry. By the end of the ninth century icon veneration was restored again.
X-XII centuries time has become another rise and rise Byzantium. She develops close ties with Kievan Rus. The role of Christianity and the Church in this period increases significantly. In artistic culture, a mature medieval style, the main feature of which is spiritualism.
13th century presented to Byzantium the hardest test primarily due to crusades. In 1204 the crusaders took Constantinople. The capital was plundered and destroyed, and Byzantium itself ceased to exist as an independent state. Only in 1261 did Emperor Michael VIII succeed in restoring and reviving the Byzantine Empire.
In the XIV-XV centuries. She is worrying its last rise and blossom, which is especially evident in the artistic culture. However, the capture of Constantinople by Turkish troops in 1453 meant the end of Byzantium.
Awarded with the highest achievements art culture Byzantium. Its originality lies in the fact that it combines outwardly incompatible principles. On the one hand, it is characterized by excessive splendor and splendor, bright entertainment. On the other hand, it is characterized by sublime solemnity, deep spirituality and refined spiritualism. These features were fully manifested in the architecture of Byzantine temples and churches.
Byzantine temple significantly different from the ancient classical temple. The latter acted as the abode of God, while all the rites and festivities took place outside, around the temple or in the adjacent square. Therefore, the main thing in the temple was not the interior. and the exterior, its appearance. Against, Christian church built as a place where believers gather. Therefore, the organization of the internal space comes to the fore in it, although the appearance does not lose its significance.
It is in this vein that the church of St. Sophia in Constantinople (532-537), who became the most famous monument Byzantine architecture. Its authors are the architects Anfimy and Isidore. Outwardly, it does not look too grandiose, although it is distinguished by rigor, harmony and magnificence of forms. However, inside it seems truly immense. The effect of boundless space is created, first of all, by the huge dome with a diameter of 31 m located at a height of 55 m, as well as the sub-domes adjacent to it, expanding the already huge space.
The dome has 400 longitudinal windows, and when sunlight floods the dome space - it seems to be floating in the air. All this makes the design surprisingly light, elegant and free.
Inside the cathedral there are more than 100 columns trimmed with malachite and porphyry. The vaults are decorated with mosaics symbolic image cross, and the walls are lined with the most valuable types of marble and decorated with mosaic paintings containing various religious subjects and portraits of emperors and members of their families.
The Cathedral of Sophia has become the rarest creation of human genius, a true masterpiece of not only Byzantine, but also world art. The temple is also notable for that. that it organically combines two main types of construction: basilica and cross-domed.
basilica is a building rectangular in plan, divided inside by rows of sodium columns, five or more longitudinal naves, the middle of which is usually wider and higher than the side ones. The eastern side of the basilica ends with a semicircular ledge - the apse, where the altar is located, and on the western side there is an entrance.
cross-domed The building is usually square in plan. Inside, it has four massive pillars that divide the space into nine cells framed by arches and support the dome located in the center. The semi-cylindrical vaults adjoining the dome form an equilateral cross. Until the 9th century the predominant type of Byzantine church was the basilica, and then the more complex cross-domed.
In addition to Constantinople, a large number of architectural monuments are also concentrated in Ravenna, a city on the northern Italian coast of the Adriatic. Here is the impressive mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Byzantine queen of the 5th century BC. In Ravenna stands the original octagonal church of San Vitale (6th century). Finally, there is also the tomb of the great Dante (XV century).
Byzantine architects successfully built outside the boundaries of their empire. One of the brightest successes in this regard was the Cathedral of San Marco (St. Mark) in Venice (XI century), which is a five-aisled basilica, into which an equal cross is inscribed. Each of the segments of the cross, covered by a separate dome, repeats in the general system of construction the single theme of the cross in a square. In the center of the cathedral is the largest dome. Inside the temple is lined with marble slabs and decorated with polychrome mosaics.
IN last period existence of Byzantium (X111-XV centuries), its architecture is becoming more and more complex. The grandiose structures, as it were, break up into several small independent buildings. At the same time, the role of the exterior decoration of buildings is increasing. A characteristic example of such a structure is the monastery of Chora in Constantinople, which was later rebuilt into the church of Kahriz Jami.
The culture of Byzantium was famous not only for its masterpieces of architecture. No less successfully developed were other types and genres of art - mosaics, frescoes, iconography, book miniatures, and literature. First of all, it deserves special mention mosaic. It should be emphasized that Byzantium has no equal in this genre of art. Byzantine masters knew all the secrets of making smalt with miraculous properties, and also knew how to turn the original color into a surprisingly picturesque whole with the help of skillful techniques. Thanks to this, they have created unsurpassed mosaic masterpieces.
Beautiful mosaics adorn the Cathedral of Sophia and other architectural monuments mentioned above, of which the tombs of Ravenna deserve special mention, where the main plot of the mosaic is Christ the Good Shepherd. Magnificent mosaics were in the Church of the Assumption in Nicaea, destroyed by the war in 1922. Mosaics of rare beauty adorn the Church of Demetrius in Thessaloniki.
By the 11th century formed finished, classic style Byzantine mosaic. It is distinguished by a strict system of plot arrangement, illustrating and revealing the main themes and dogmas of Christianity. According to this system, a half-length image of Christ Pantokrator (the Almighty) is placed in the dome of the temple, in the altar-apse, the figure of Our Lady Oranta, praying with raised hands. On the sides of the fire are the figures of the archangels, and in the bottom row - the apostles. It is in this style that many mosaic cycles of the 11th-11th centuries are executed. both in Byzantium itself and beyond.
Reaches a high level in Byzantium iconography. which is a kind of easel cult painting. The period of the first flowering of Byzantine icon painting falls on the 10th-11th centuries, when the image of the human figure occupies a dominant position in the icon, and other elements - the landscape and the architectural background - are transmitted very conditionally. Among the outstanding examples of icon painting of this period is the icon of St. Gregory the Wonderworker (XII century), which is distinguished by deep spirituality, fine drawing and rich color. Of particular note icon of Our Lady of Vladimir(XII century), which became the main icon of the Russian Orthodox Church in Rus' and remains so until our days. The Virgin and Child depicted on it is endowed with a penetrating expression and, for all its holiness and spirituality, is filled with deep humanity and emotionality.
The next and last period of the heyday of icon painting falls on the XIV-XV centuries, from which a large number of beautiful icons. Like all painting, icon painting of this period is undergoing noticeable changes. The color scheme becomes more complex, which is facilitated by the use of halftones. The naturalness and humanity of the depicted figures are enhanced, they become lighter and more mobile, often depicted in motion.
An outstanding example of such painting is the icon of the Twelve Apostles (XIV century). The apostles depicted on it appear in different poses and clothes, they hold themselves freely and uninhibited, as if talking among themselves. The front figures are larger than the back ones, their faces are voluminous due to the use of subtle highlights. In the XV century. in icon painting, the graphic principle is enhanced, icons are executed with thin shading parallel lines. A vivid example of this style is the icon "The Descent of Christ into Hell" (XV century).
Like architecture and mosaics, icon painting was widely used outside of Byzantium. Many Byzantine masters successfully worked in Slavic countries- Serbia, Bulgaria, Rus'. One of them - the great Theophanes the Greek - created his works in the XIV century. in Rus'. Murals in the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Novgorod, as well as icons in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, have come down to us from him.
In 1453, under the onslaught of the Turks, Byzantium pope, but its culture continues to exist today. It occupies a worthy place in world culture. Byzantium made its main contribution to world spiritual culture primarily through the establishment and development of Orthodox Christianity. No less significant was her contribution to artistic culture, to the development of architecture, mosaics, icon painting, and literature. Of particular note is its beneficial effect on the formation and development of
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From the book The Fortress Ensemble of Mangup author Herzen Alexander GermanovichWorld of Byzantine culture
Target: to promote the development of students' ability to emotional and artistic perception and comprehension of Byzantine art.
Tasks:
- to acquaint students with the characteristic features of Byzantine culture, its significance in the development of world culture;
To acquaint with the masterpieces of Byzantine masters on the example of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the art of mosaics and icon painting;
To promote the formation of students' aesthetic taste, interest in the creativity of civilizations of the past.
Equipment: map "Byzantine Empire", reproductions.
Basic concepts: cross-domed temple, mosaic, fresco, icon.
Lesson plan:
1. Historical essay.
2. Achievements of Byzantine architecture. Saint Sophie Cathedral.
3. Mosaic art.
4. Iconography.
During the classes
1. The teacher announces the topic of the lesson and makes a conversation with students on the following questions:
- When did the formation of Byzantium take place? Show the area on the map.
Who is considered the founder of the Byzantine empire?
Name the capital of Byzantium.
What was the name of this city the Slavs?
What is the name of this city today?
On the territory of which modern state he is in?
Why was Constantinople called the "golden bridge"?
How long did the empire exist? What is her fate?
Task for students: in the course of work at the lesson, get acquainted with the achievements of the artistic culture of Byzantium.
2. The teacher reports: The Byzantine Empire reached its highest power under Emperor Justinian I (527-565).
Student report on Justinian (see Appendix 1).
The teacher reports: the power of the empire was embodied in an architectural masterpiece that has survived to this day.
Student report about Hagia Sophia (see Appendix 2).
The teacher reports: the character of medieval sculpture is determined by the spread of Christianity. Temples-symbols, external attributes new religion. Byzantine craftsmen in the Hagia Sophia were the first to use new architectural details. This led to the creation of a new type of temple - a cross-domed one.
Task for students: in the course of working with diagrams, determine the characteristic features of an ancient basilica as an architectural structure, compare it with St. Sophia Cathedral, and find differences (diagrams in Appendix 3).
Notebook entry.
A cross-domed church is a church that has the shape of a cross with a dome in the center.
The teacher reports: the luxury and solemnity of Byzantine architecture will serve as models for the construction of stone cathedrals in ancient Kyiv. Rus' will accept from Byzantium the cross-domed system of churches.
3. The teacher reports: the interior of Byzantine churches is decorated with mosaics. This kind visual arts originated in antiquity.
Notebook entry.
Mosaic - images made from cubes of multi-colored opaque glass = smalt.
Independent work with the textbook. Find features in the text Byzantine mosaics, write them out in the form of a plan. Consider illustrations.
Features of Byzantine mosaics:
The use of cubes of various shapes and sizes;
Applying a golden background;
Fixing cubes at different angles;
Shine effect.
4. The teacher reports: V Christian churches not only mosaics were obligatory, but also icons. The icon is a mysterious symbol of the deity, and not its exact image. With the help of lines and colors, the icon painter not only depicts this or that saint or event, but embodies the prayer addressed to him. Therefore, iconography has its own artistic language (canons). The iconographic canons include the frontality of the image, the conventionality of clothing, the symbolism of color, a shining halo around the head, and the gaze of enlarged eyes. One of the best works Byzantine icon painting - "Vladimir Mother of God".
Student Message about the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir.
Notebook entry.
Icon - from the Greek "eikon" - image, image.
Summary of the lesson.
Byzantium is a civilization that left mankind a huge legacy that influenced the culture of many peoples, including Russian.
Question to the class. What did Byzantium leave as a legacy to mankind?
Grading.
Homework: chapter 12, reports on the topics "Tithing Church in Kyiv", "Golden Gates in Kyiv", "Construction of St. Sophia Cathedral".
Annex 1.
Emperor Justinian.
The Byzantine Empire reached its greatest power under Emperor Justinian I (527-565).
Justinian came from a poor peasant family. His uncle Justin curried out ordinary soldiers to the rank of commander and, having seized the throne by force, became emperor. Justin brought his nephew closer to the court, gave him a good education. After the death of his uncle, Justinian I inherited the throne.
The emperor possessed considerable political wisdom and courage. He carried out reforms, revived trade. Having accumulated great wealth, Justinian built temples, fortresses, palaces throughout the empire, refurbished entire cities. The most famous building of Justinian I was the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
Another great deed of the emperor was the creation of a code of Roman law. Justinian ordered the various teachings and opinions of famous Roman jurists living in previous centuries to be brought together and streamlined. And until now, Roman law underlies the civil law of the majority. modern countries.
Appendix 2
Saint Sophie Cathedral.
The most famous building of Justinian I was the temple of Hagia Sophia (that is, the Wisdom of God) in Constantinople. Now Constantinople is within the borders of Turkey. The Turks call it Istanbul, and Hagia Sophia (in the Turkish way - Aya Sophia) became a mosque.
This grandiose building for a long time remained unsurpassed either in Europe or in Asia. The temple, built of brick, was lined inside with rare marble and decorated with mosaics that depicted Christian symbols and floral patterns. The attraction of the temple is its huge dome with a diameter of 31.5 m. Numerous windows are cut into the base of the dome. When a person, standing in the temple, looks up at the dome, then because of the light pouring from the windows, and because of the great distance to the dome, the thin openings between the windows are not visible, and it seems as if the dome is floating above the temple without support. Once upon a time, it was even said that the dome of Hagia Sophia was allegedly suspended on golden chains to the very sky. When the temple was consecrated, Emperor Justinian I exclaimed: “Glory to the Lord, who honored me to do such a thing! Solomon, I defeated you!
MHK 9 lesson19 The world of Byzantine culture. (slide 1)(click) In the cloudless sky above the banks of the Bosporus, an eagle with a snake in its claws soared. The snake writhed, tried to sting, but the eagle fell down like a stone and crushed its head with a blow from its powerful beak.
The victory of the king of birds was greeted with joyful cries by the envoys of the Roman emperor Constantine (slide 2) who were looking for a place for a new capital.
They interpreted the battle of an eagle with a snake as a sign from above and in 324-330 on the site of the old Greek colony Byzantium founded the city of Constantinople (click) - « new rome”, the capital of the future Byzantine state.
The city seemed fabulously beautiful to newcomers from the West, East and North. ((slide 3)+4 clicks)
Byzantine Empire (slide 4) became a powerful state, the empire of the "Romans", as its inhabitants called themselves, who considered themselves the heirs of the Romans. (click) On the one hand, it was a continuation of the richest ancient culture, and on the other hand, it was the beginning of medieval culture.
Byzantium, the heiress of antiquity, also experienced the influence of the culture of the peoples of the East, having managed to creatively rework them artistic traditions. From Egypt she inherited art paintings fabrics, wood and bone carvings, from Asia Minor - a type of domed basilica, learned court ceremonial from the Persians, brought holy relics of the Christian faith from Palestine. Nevertheless, Byzantium was destined to leave its own mark in the history of world art. Its culture has a completely independent meaning.
A cross-domed church was brought to life here, (slide 5) ideally suited to the requirements of Christian worship. Byzantine masters achieved a synthesis of mosaic and fresco paintings. Iconography was born here, subject to strictly justified laws (canons), which were followed by the painters of Western Europe and Ancient Russia.
Significant successes were in literature, book miniatures, music and arts and crafts.
Achievements of Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture developed gradually, it organically combined elements of ancient and oriental architecture. The main architectural structure was the temple, the so-called basilica (slide 6)(Greek “royal house”), the purpose of which differed significantly from the architectural buildings known to us. If the Egyptian temple was intended for priests to conduct solemn ceremonies and did not allow a person to enter the sanctuary, and the Greek and Roman temples served as the seat of a deity, then the Byzantine churches became the center where the faithful gathered for worship, that is, they were designed for a person to stay in them.
The basilica is distinguished by its simple plan: (slide 7) this is an elongated building, longitudinally divided inside by rows of columns into parts, the so-called naves (slide 8)(Greek "ship"), the number of which reaches 3 or 5.
All temples are oriented to the east, because there, according to Christians, was Jerusalem - the center of the earth. In the east, a semicircular niche adjoins the main rectangular volume - an apse with an altar located in it. (slide 9)- the sacred part of the temple.
A characteristic feature of the architecture of the basilica is the wooden beamed ceilings facing the interior of the temple. The entrance to the building in the west is usually adjoined by a courtyard - an atrium surrounded by a covered colonnade.
A feature of the design of Byzantine churches was the contrast between their external and internal appearance. (slide 10) The appearance of basilicas is emphatically stingy and strict, (click) it strikes with the harsh smoothness of powerful walls, cut through by rare narrow windows, (click) lack of decorative details in the design of facades. (click)
But the interiors of the basilica are decorated with marble and granite facing, (slide 11) mosaics (click) and frescoes on the walls, (click) luxury items of decorative and applied art. (2 clicks) (slide 12 + 5 clicks)
Later, a new type of church became more and more important - a cross-domed one, having the shape of a cross with a dome in the center. (slide 13+click) (slide 14+3clicks)
The Highest Achievement of Byzantine Architecture (slide 15)- Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, connecting the basilica with a domed ceiling. The temple of the "wisdom of God" was erected relatively quickly by two architects - Anfimy and Isidore. (slide 16) They were required to express the "incomprehensibility and ineffability" of the Christian perception of the universe, to embody the idea of the power of the Byzantine Empire. The architects brilliantly coped with this task. (slide 17)
From now on, imperial ceremonies and solemn services began to be held here. The temple, located in the center of the city, on the highest hill, is far visible from the Bosphorus. According to eyewitnesses, “it rises as if to the sky and, like a ship on the high waves of the sea, stands out among other buildings.”
(slide 18) In plan, the temple is a rectangle, in the center of which four massive pillars represent a huge square. The central dome of Sofia, which is 31.5 m in diameter, is the most remarkable achievement of Byzantine architects, which embodies the idea of the cosmic likeness of the world. From below, the dome seems to be floating in the air, since the thin parts of the wall between the windows are not visible.
The optical effect gave rise to the legend that the dome was suspended from the sky on a golden chain. Two lower domes adjoin the central dome. From the outside, the temple does not seem too big, its appearance is calm and austere.
Its interior is another matter. (slide 19) Everyone is amazed by the green and pinkish marble cladding of the walls and the golden mosaic of the vaults. It seems that the main space of the temple has no boundaries, dissolves in the light rays that penetrate through the forty windows carved at the base of the dome. The columns are united by wavy arcades, which creates the impression of rhythmic movement. One of his contemporaries wrote: "... nothing stops the eye in the cathedral, but everything attracts to itself, constantly changing so that it is difficult for the viewer to say what he liked best." (music)
Hagia Sophia - where to stay
The Lord judged nations and kings!
After all, your dome, according to an eyewitness,
As if on a chain, suspended from heaven.
And to all ages - the example of Justinian,
When to steal for foreign gods
Ephesian Diana allowed
One hundred and seven green marble pillars.
But what did your generous builder think,
When, soul and thought is high,
Arranged apses and exedra,
Pointing them to the west and east?
Beautiful is the temple bathed in peace,
And forty windows - a triumph of light;
On sails, under the dome, four
Archangel is the most beautiful.
And a wise spherical building
Nations and centuries will survive,
And seraphim's booming sob
Will not warp dark gilding.
This is how the poet O. E. Mandelstam expressed his feelings from what he saw in the poem "Hagia Sophia".
(4 clicks)
. Shimmering light of Byzantine mosaics
The mosaics of Byzantium gained worldwide fame. (slide 20) Using the ancient technology of making mosaics, Byzantine masters found their own, original ways their creations. (slide 21) Pieces of matte or transparent smalt with the thinnest gold lining, and sometimes stone cubes of various shapes and sizes, were fixed in the binding base at different angles. (slide 22) This allowed the rays of the sun or the light of a lit candle to flash, reflect and sparkle in gold, purple and blue.
Mosaicists of Byzantium used all the richness of the colorful palette. (slide 23) They were well acquainted with the various shades and intensities of colors: from pale and delicate, muted and dull to bright and saturated. (slide 24)
Pictures on the walls told about the main events Christian history, they transferred the thoughts of believers to a special world. Numerous images of Christ, prophets and angels, scenes from the Holy Scriptures (slide 25) and the glorification of the power of the emperor became favorite themes and plots of Byzantine mosaics. Their golden background also had a special meaning. Firstly, it was perceived as a symbol of wealth and luxury, and secondly, as one of the most bright colors he created around the depicted figures the effect of unfading, sacred radiance. (slide 26)
If the light background of the antique mosaics made it possible to convey space, created the illusion of reality, then the golden background of the Byzantine mosaics transformed this in a fantastic way. real space. The fact is that the golden background in combination with a concave or spherical surface caused a peculiar effect of presence, gave the audience a sense of belonging to the depicted. (slide 27)
The best preserved mosaics of Ravenna - a city in northern Italy, in the VI century. center of the Byzantine province. The mosaic murals of the Church of San Vitale gained particular fame. (slide 28) Streams of light pouring from the dome and arched openings of the galleries make the mosaics light up with an unearthly brilliance. (slide 29) On the side naves of the apse, on both sides of the windows, there are mosaics (slide 30) depicting Emperor Justinian (slide 31) and his wife Theodora with her retinue.
On the mosaic in the center (slide 32) Emperor Justinian is depicted presenting a heavy golden cup as a gift to the church. His head is crowned with a diadem and a halo - a symbol of holiness. He wears rich colored garments adorned with gold. To the right of Justinian are two courtiers and bodyguards, whose figures are covered by a front shield with the monogram of Christ. Behind the left shoulder of the emperor is an elderly man in the clothes of a senator, as well as Bishop Maximian with a cross in his hand and two deacons, one of whom holds the Gospel, and the other a censer. The mirror symmetry of the right and left sides of the composition creates a sense of balance and peace. It seems that the figures do not step, but, as it were, hover above the ground.
The mosaic on the opposite side depicts Empress Theodora. (slide 33) She enters the temple, carrying a chalice with gold coins in her hands. Luxurious necklaces around the neck and on the shoulders. On the head is a crown with long pearl pendants, around the head is a large halo.
Many centuries later, the poet A. A. Blok visited Ravenna. Inspired by the mosaics, he wrote these verses:
Everything that is momentary, everything that is perishable, (slide 34)
You buried for centuries.
You sleep like a baby, Ravenna,
Sleepy eternity in the hands. (slide 35)
Slaves through Roman gates
They no longer import mosaics.
And the gilding burns (slide 36)
Within the walls of cool basilicas...
Remarkable and mosaics of the Church of the Assumption in Nicaea (slide 37)(VII century, destroyed in 1922). The angels depicted here amaze with the refined nobility of their appearance, their gaze, as if hypnotizing. In some ways, they resemble the ancient ideal of beauty. (slide 38)
The calm poses of the saints are natural, and subtle combinations of colors, smooth transitions, complex angles of the hands, through the palms of which light shines through, make the figures especially vital and attractive.
Music of Byzantium
Byzantine music is expressive and interesting, and one of the church fathers, Bishop of Constantinople John Chrysostom spoke about its high purpose. (slide 39)(between 344 and 354-407):
“Nothing elevates the soul so much, nothing so inspires it, does not remove it from the earth, does not free it from bodily bonds, does not instruct in philosophy and does not help to achieve complete contempt for worldly objects, like a coordinated melody and divine singing controlled by rhythm.” (music)
The strong emotional impact of church worship has long been known. An ancient chronicle tells how the Kiev prince Vladimir (slide 40)(? -1015) gathered boyars and elders for advice and asked them about which faith is better: Mohammedans, Jews, Catholics or Greeks. “Sovereign! - said the boyars and the elders. “Every person praises his faith: if you want to choose the best, then send smart people to different lands to test which people more worthily worship a deity.”
Vladimir listened to the advice of the elders and sent ten prudent men for this test. Having visited many cities and countries, they arrived in the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, and went to Saint Sophia Cathedral. They froze from the beauty of what they saw and heard. They were especially struck by their divine singing, which they had never heard before. (At that time in choral singing 111 people participated in the Sophia temple, and 25 in the solo.)
The ambassadors returned to Kyiv and enthusiastically told about everything to Vladimir:
“And we came to the Greek land, and led us to where they serve their God, and did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth: for there is no such sight and beauty on earth and we do not know how to tell about it. We only know that God dwells there with people, and their service is better than in all other countries. We cannot forget that beauty, for every person, if he tastes the sweet, then will not take the bitter; so we can no longer be here in paganism.”
"The Tale of Bygone Years"
As we see, church singing, heard by the Russian ambassadors in Constantinople, struck their imagination with an unheard-of beauty. Sounding music seemed to them divine, and its performance - angelic, heavenly. This did not contradict the Holy Scripture, which said that the angels surrounding the heavenly throne continuously give praise to the Lord in divine chants. That is why church singing in the Middle Ages, and in Byzantium in particular, was often compared with angelic singing. It was believed that during the service, angelic voices merge with human ones and recreate the divine image in chants. (music)
The history of Byzantine music is also marked by the introduction of musical notation, (slide 41) allowing accurate recording and playback of the melody. With the help of special signs they indicated in what key should be performed musical composition, where to increase or decrease the sound, where to speed up or slow down the tempo of the music.
(slide 42) The Turkish troops that conquered Constantinople in 1453 put an end to the history of the Byzantine Empire. But this was not the end of her artistic and cultural development.
Theme "The World of Byzantine Culture"
The purpose of the lesson:
Through the analysis of the diversity of Byzantine culture to reveal its artistic features and role in the culture of the Middle Ages.
Tasks:
Educational:
To uncover historical conditions development of Byzantine culture.
Analyze the largest monuments of Byzantine art.
Outline the origins and role of Byzantine culture in the development medieval culture.
Developing:
Learn to analyze monuments of art.
Be able to evaluate the contribution of Byzantine masters to the development of medieval culture.
To develop interest in the knowledge of Slavic culture.
Develop a love of art, horizons, logical and imaginative thinking.
Educational:
Raise interest and respect for cultural monuments.
Contribute independent study history of world culture.
To educate students' patriotic feelings, the ability to defend their views on various art history problems.
Enrich spiritual world students.
Lesson type: familiarity with new material.
Lesson plan.
I. Organizing moment.
II. Preparing for the perception of a new topic. Introduction by the teacher.
III. Presentation of a new topic. /Work in blocks based on the presentation/.
Byzantine architecture.
Mosaic art.
Iconography skill.
Music of Byzantium.
IV. Fixing the topic. /Design the table. Conclusions/.
V. Summing up. Reflection.
VI. Final word teachers.
VII. Homework assignment.
During the classes
We start talking about medieval culture. It is impossible to understand its development and features of aesthetics without analyzing Byzantine culture. Announcement of the purpose and objectives of the lesson.
Student message.
Byzantium gave the world art, in which the deepest spirituality was the measure true beauty. Originating in Constantinople, the capital of the empire, it influenced the development of cultures in such countries as Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Ancient Rus'. To a certain extent, countries were also covered by his influence. Western Europe.
On modern map this state does not exist. (Cm. geographical map Roman Empire 4-15 centuries). It ceased to exist in May 1453, when it was conquered by the Turks. The very name of this state is the Roman Empire. It arose in 395, when the emperor Theodosius, dying, divided the Roman Empire into 2 parts: Western and Eastern. The latter was called Byzantium by historians of the 19th century. Byzantium is the successor of Antiquity. It was the Byzantine scribes who saved the world the works of Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, until the 7th century there was a folk antique theater. Greek remained the spoken language.
In the lesson, of course, we will not be able to cover the entire spectrum of Byzantine culture, but we will focus only on some types of art: architecture, mosaics, icon painting, music.
Statement of the problem of the lesson.
What is the richness and diversity of Byzantine culture? What are the artistic features of Byzantine culture?Class assignment.
In the process of working in the lesson, draw up a table.(See the pattern on the board).
Questions session.
Which architectural structure is most typical for early stage Byzantine architecture?
What ideas did the builders of the Hagia Sophia seek to embody?
What architectural innovations were used in the construction of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople?
Why were basilicas replaced by cross-domed churches in Byzantine architecture?
The second group talks about the art of mosaic.
What is Byzantine Mosaic.
Expressive reading and analysis of A. Blok's poem "Ravenna".
Analysis of the mosaics of Ravenna "Empress Theodora", "Emperor Justinian with retinue".
Conclusion. Characteristics mosaics:
perfect compositional techniques; decorative; color effects; matching contrasting colors; regulation colors; the manner of laying smalt in even rows forming a pattern; the composition was always built from a circle - a sphere, a halo as a symbol of heavenly perfection.
Questions to the class.
What is smalt?
Where did the art of mosaic come from in Byzantium?
Why did the art of Byzantine mosaicists gain worldwide fame? By what means was the effect of magical influence on the viewer achieved?
The third problem-search group analyzes the art of Byzantine icon painting.
What is an icon.
Analysis of the icons presented in the presentation: "Sergius and Bacchus" - 6th century, "Vladimir Mother of God" - the beginning of the 12th century, "Christ Pantocrator" - 14th century.
Characteristic features of icons:
frontality of the image (their appeal to the viewer);
strict symmetry in relation to the central figure of Christ or the Mother of God;
high forehead - the focus of the spiritual principle;
a shining halo around the head;
the fixed, stern look of enlarged eyes;
static, a state of ascetic dispassionate rest;
decorative and conventional clothing, emphasizing the incorporeality, incorporeality of the figures;
the color on the icons is symbolic.
1. Listening to the Znamenny chant and reading a quote from Bishop John Chrysostom.
2. Students report about famous musicians and theorists church music, musical instruments Byzantium. (Working with a presentation).
What feelings and thoughts does this music awaken in you?
Exercise. Write conclusions in a notebook.
Conclusions:
1. What was the connection between Byzantine culture and ancient art, in your opinion?
Classical / correct transfer of proportions human body, its volume and movements/.
The focus of the artist is a person.
art performed aesthetic function and was a mediator between the human and divine worlds.
2. What do you think, what are the main achievements of the artistic culture of Byzantium?
The embodiment of the cross-domed church.
Synthesis various kinds arts.
Orientation artistic language on conventionality, symbolism / the origin of iconography and musical notation /.
Emotional beginning, the predominance of spiritual content over physical perfection.
3. What is the role of Byzantine culture in the development of medieval culture, and in particular Russian?
The adoption of Christianity in Rus' was a powerful stimulus in the development of culture.
Orthodox culture develops according to the canons of Byzantine art.
In the Middle Ages, Rus' becomes the spiritual center of Orthodoxy
/Moscow is the third Rome/.
Reflection.
What new did you learn in the lesson?
What discovery did each of you make?
At the end of the lesson, I would like to draw your attention to the epigraph, the words of the poetess V. Borovitskaya.
…Everything in the world goes away - art remains.
