Byzantium and the icon
The image is revealed through worship, material and architectural surroundings.
Key ideas
Byzantine art includes mosaics, icons, manuscripts, textiles and architecture. The golden background reflects light and creates a special space for the image. The position of the figures, gestures and inscriptions help to recognize sacred characters and subjects.
Looking deeper
The icon was not only an object of aesthetic contemplation: it participated in prayer practice. The controversy over the images and periods of iconoclasm show how significant their status was. Forms varied according to time and place; conventionality does not mean lack of technical skill.
Mosaics of Ravenna; Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
Find the work in the museum's official catalog and start with a description of the visible details.Imagine a mosaic in moving candlelight: what changes in perception?
External educational material or museum catalogue. The above review is not a literal translation of the source.