Textual Analysis Of Flash Through The Parthenon

Flash Through the Past Throughout the span of history, every age in time has had various levels of affiliation with religious structures. While the forms, shapes, and mediums of these artworks may differ through time, the symbol that each represents is the uniting factor. This commonality is observed in several art pieces, namely that of the Parthenon, Hagia Sophia, arch of Titus, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Amiens cathedral, and the boundary stones within the complex of Djozer. Initiating the path is the Parthenon. Evident from the images, symbols, and structure, the function of this piece is for religious ceremonies. Religion… a word that is supposed to signify “openness” to all who want to join, however this large structure excludes the majority
of its followers from the inner mysteries entirely! The use of the Parthenon is drastically different from how most religious buildings are thought of. During the Roman Empire, Christianity was still mainly a “mystery religion” in that it kept a low profile, holding services in simple houses. The main difference is that everyone was allowed inside the church to view the blessing of the liturgy, and holy mysteries. This was very unconventional from the way that the Parthenon was utilized, as only a select few were allowed inside of the temple to observe the holy proceedings. Now that the ceremonial function of this structure is clear, how does this relate to a religious aspect? First off is the location of the structure. The Parthenon is located on a hill, which is known as an acropolis. Just like in the gothic cathedrals, a certain importance was given to the height of a structure. An interesting architectural build is that the Parthenon appears as if it is a building inside of a building. More clearly, it has two layers of columns ringing the structure. The function for these separations is that in between the two columns there is a path for “panathenaic processions.” The function of the friezes, metopes, and pediments are a clue to the belief system of those who constructed the structure. Much like the images painted on the walls in Dura Europa, these depictions share the story for the belief of the believers. These beliefs focused on Athena, and her wisdom, bravery, and planning skills for battle. The function of the temple is thus an honorary structure for the goddess Athena. While this temple focuses on honoring one goddess among many, fast forward in time to a church that focuses on the one true “god of gods.” Transitioning straight away from Greek buildings, a look at Hagia Sophia offers an interesting progression of architecture. Hagia Sophia was constructed as a basilica church, rebuilt as a mosque, and finally transformed as a museum in modern times. The history of this magnificent structure is stunning, equaled only by the striking works of art held within. The structure of this massive building was designed to awe viewers as they stepped inside. Aiding this motive is a large rectangular nave, with a large dome supported by four pendentives. Surrounding the dome are windows allowing the light to pour in, dazzling the viewers. This functioned religiously as what was seen as the ideal place of worship for followers, not to mention establishing Justinian as a founding figure in the church since he rebuilt this monument with grand proportions. Aiding to the Christian beliefs is the presence of Byzantine mosaics. These ornamental figures cover the walls, lightened by the golden backflow of the traditional Byzantine style. Entering through a bronze gate, through the vestibule into the narthex, lays a magnificent image of the holy Virgin Mary. Imagine walking through an ornate door, through a room and sitting in plain sight is a brilliant depiction of the mother of god. Much like the church of Sant’apollinare Nuovo, walking into the building the people are greeted with a large nave, surrounded by mosaics to dazzle the eye. The function of this upfront load of images conveys a sense of power, reverence, and shows how much effort was spent constructing this church. Use of stone and mortar, such as in the pendentives, is seen in many different structures. One such structure that conveys power, especially well, is the arch of Titus. Examining the Arch of Titus, one figure is the obvious predominant focus… Titus.
This “man” whom would much rather be seen as a god, utilizes many different techniques to enthrall viewers. This arch shows feats of battle, plundering, gods, and the emperor himself. The belief system was that the ruler was extremely powerful, thus it makes sense for him to make this monolithic structure for himself. This construction is highly ornamented through the carving of figures that are seen covering the surfaces. The highly decorated exterior is a representation of the ruler’s “wish” for how he wants viewers to think of him. Contrary to the common opinion, this arch is not only a sign of battles won. The “apotheosis panel” which depicts Titus’s with an eagle, functions to exhibit his ascension from a mere emperor to godhood. This idealizing image is seen in many religious figures. For instance, Justinian’s wished to be viewed as more than an emperor through his construction of religious buildings. Likewise Icons are constructed with the purpose to show the ascension of a mortal man or women to the title of sainthood. This is very similar to what Titus wished, except he took it up a notch and went to the grand prize of godhood. To do this, Titus had the image made to what he thought was an idealized image of himself, or the perfect image of a god. Very similar is the meaning behind icons. Using an icostic technique in which wax is mixed with pigments to form the medium. The image is
then molded to a set pattern for the “perfect” image of what the saints were supposed to embody. Icons are an obvious religious ornament, but what is an icon without the church it sits in? Transitioning from the Arch, the journey continues to Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. This truly fascinating church is obviously religious in design. The mosaic images, carved features, engravings on the walls, as well as the artistic four square plan, all help to air a sense of reverence and awe when first walking inside. This sense of awe mimics the purpose from many other structures, such as the pantheon or gothic churches. Having a large open area that is completely dedicated to the said religion helps users greatly, especially to focus in peace and quiet. Thus said, the function of this church is to provide sanctuary, so to speak, for all of the users. One of the accommodations that help this function is the spacious nave with side aisles. Basilica churches could only be as wide as the longest tree, so these aisles added an additional width, allowing more subjects to view the liturgy. Inside the church an above altar is situated. This would be most similar to the space above orthodox churches where sometimes the choir or a group of men would chant, however the function is much different. Function wise, picture Charlemagne’s personal altar on the second floor of the Aachen cathedral. This was not open to the common people, as it was his personal altar. However, in the case of Sant’apollinare Nuovo, the function of this specific altar is to be open to everyone; however, structurally speaking Charlemagne’s is the closest comparison. While Sant’apollinare Nuovo is an impressive construction, it holds no light to the sheer size of the gothic churches. Amiens cathedral is a stunning structure that serves to remind people to this day of the beauty from the gothic period.
Amiens cathedral has very similar supports to that of St. Vitus’s cathedral. Both utilize similar structures for stabilization from the wind and lateral weight forces. Amiens cathedral has a three-tier interior level with multiple sculptures inside. Since the church is of considerable height, but made of stone and mortar, it cannot be allowed to shift in the wind like normal buildings today. To compensate for wind effects as well as lateral forces of the weight, the builders added structures known as “flying buttresses.” These function not only to provide stability, but also lend an amount of design. However, the buttresses were not made purely for support, instead builders wanted a certain amount of finesse; which was accomplished through the incorporation of designs on the “flyer.” The flyer is the arch that bridges the gap between the buttress and the building itself. To add the designs, sponsors had pieces worked on to add engravings of ornate natural patterns. The function of this is to show how much money was put into the design of the church. Amiens also has cone like ends, which rest on top of the buttresses, much like the Kylemore gothic church. These cones have been argued as to whether the weight was actually necessary for downward support, or if they were purely for visual effects. While normally the amount of money put into a church does not
seem to add to the belief system, in this case it does. People of this time were drawn to the “bigger is better” church, showing how the functional designs of buttresses, when engraved, added to the belief of people that this is the place to worship at. The act of decorating stones to show an everlasting commemoration of what rulers wanted their church to be remembered as is not so different from the idea of personal renewal to permanently remember the Pharaohs. Flashing back through time to a religious event of unique properties, the mortuary precinct of Djozer holds secrets to what the boundary stones purpose was. Pharaohs of this time were seen as divine, as they were the intermediary between gods and the common man. When a Pharaoh passed away, he would undergo many rituals, one of which is seen through the use of the boundary stones. These two markers would be placed within the precinct, and a “spirit” or being running back and forth between both stones would symbolize the Pharaoh’s eternity. This symbolized the rejuvenation, or continuing reign of the pharaoh, even after death. This ritual was known as the “Heb Sed,” and the function of this was to represent the strength, as well as the duration of the pharaoh’s rule. As far as the belief system goes, this purpose of “eternal reign” shows how the people believed that their god/pharaoh would forever rule in this life and the next. One such similar structure to the boundary stones is the Arch of Titus for one particular reason. Just as the boundary stones symbolize the pharaoh’s reign in the next life, so from Pharaoh to god, the Arch of Titus depicts his ascension from ruler to god. Similarly the idea of everlasting reign is seen in the everlasting frescos of Sant’apollinare Nuovo, which were made to last through the ages with their meaning, long after their artisans had passed away. All of these works show a sense of power, religious dedication, and attention to detail. It is however the intricate underlying meanings that give these pieces the significance they carry to this day, as well as unify them through time. Each and every one has a religious symbolic meaning, and thus a worthy reason for the comparisons brought forth. Though the differences are indeed extensive between structures, the similarities are also equally important, as well as the beliefs each structure conveyed for its’ people.