Justinian, Bishop and Attendants
Jonmundur Gretarsson
LA 120 OL9: Art History through the 15th Century
Assignment Final Essay
Lindsey King
08/0812
Justinian, Bishop, and Attendants & Allegory of Good Government
Justinian, Bishop, and Attendants
&
Allegory of Good Government
In this essay I will discuss these two paintings and answer why they are both so unique for their time. I will also compare their content and context. I will also discuss how the mosaic Justinian and Attendants was used as means of political propaganda.
The beautiful church San Vitale was built in the 6th century in Ravenna, Italy. The Greek banker Julius Argentarius sponsored the construction of the church and it was built to honor Saint Vitalis for his Christian beliefs. Like so many other amazing buildings at this time it housed some of the best Byzantine Art. One of the most famous images of political authority from the Middle Ages is the beautiful Mosaics who are of the Emperor and Empress, the beautiful Justinian,Bishop Maximianus & Attendants and Theodora And Attendants.
The mosaic is on the north wall of the apse,San Vitale ,Ravenna, Italy and was made around 547 BC.. The Emperor Justinian is holding the bread, and Theodora the wine, which shows the true importance of the Emperor who was the leader of the church.
Justinian is in the center of the art and more up front than other. This shows us the religious, administrative and military authority the Emperor has. He is between the power of the church and the imperial administration and army. He wears a crown and a purple imperial robe. On his left side are members of the clergy and Bishop Maximianus of Ravenna who was responsible for San Vitales completion. On his right are members of the imperial administration which we can see by their purple stripe, then at the far left side are a group of soldiers. We can see that the Emperor saw himself as the defender of Christian Faith and felt his duty was to establish the faith
LA 120 OL9: Art History through the 15th Century
Assignment Final Essay
Lindsey King
08/0812
Justinian, Bishop, and Attendants & Allegory of Good Government
Justinian, Bishop, and Attendants
&
Allegory of Good Government
In this essay I will discuss these two paintings and answer why they are both so unique for their time. I will also compare their content and context. I will also discuss how the mosaic Justinian and Attendants was used as means of political propaganda.
The beautiful church San Vitale was built in the 6th century in Ravenna, Italy. The Greek banker Julius Argentarius sponsored the construction of the church and it was built to honor Saint Vitalis for his Christian beliefs. Like so many other amazing buildings at this time it housed some of the best Byzantine Art. One of the most famous images of political authority from the Middle Ages is the beautiful Mosaics who are of the Emperor and Empress, the beautiful Justinian,Bishop Maximianus & Attendants and Theodora And Attendants.
The mosaic is on the north wall of the apse,San Vitale ,Ravenna, Italy and was made around 547 BC.. The Emperor Justinian is holding the bread, and Theodora the wine, which shows the true importance of the Emperor who was the leader of the church.
Justinian is in the center of the art and more up front than other. This shows us the religious, administrative and military authority the Emperor has. He is between the power of the church and the imperial administration and army. He wears a crown and a purple imperial robe. On his left side are members of the clergy and Bishop Maximianus of Ravenna who was responsible for San Vitales completion. On his right are members of the imperial administration which we can see by their purple stripe, then at the far left side are a group of soldiers. We can see that the Emperor saw himself as the defender of Christian Faith and felt his duty was to establish the faith
Cited: http://www.oldandsold.com/articles08/roman-11.shtml http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac36 http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/just/hd_just.htm http://discussion.academyart.edu/courseContentDisplay/section/71445/module_8/session_09.html?56 http://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/effect-of-good-government-on-city-and-country-by-ambrogio-lorenzetti/ http://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2011/02/12/allegory-and-effects-of-good-and-bad-government-by-ambrogio-lorenzetti/ http://evergreen.loyola.edu/brnygren/www/Honors/Compagni.htm http://discussion.academyart.edu/courseContentDisplay/section/71445/module_12/session_15.html?102