The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Art and Architecture (Oxford Handbooks)

Byzantine art has been an underappreciated field, often treated as an adjunct to the arts of the medieval West, if considered at all. In illustrating the richness and diversity of art in the Byzantine world, this handbook will help establish the subject as a distinct field worthy of serious inquiry. Essays consider Byzantine art as art made in the eastern Mediterranean world, including the Balkans, Russia, the Near East and north Africa, between the years 330 and 1453. Much of this art was made for religious purposes, created to enhance and beautify the Orthodox liturgy and worship space, as well as to serve in a royal or domestic context. Discussions in this volume will consider both aspects of this artistic creation, across a wide swath of geography and a long span of time. The volume marries older, object-based considerations of themes and monuments which form the backbone of art history, to considerations drawing on many different methodologies-sociology, semiotics, anthropology, archaeology, reception theory, deconstruction theory, and so on-in an up-to-date synthesis of scholarship on Byzantine art and architecture. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Art and Architecture is a comprehensive overview of a particularly rich field of study, offering a window into the world of this fascinating and beautiful period of art. Cover 1 The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Art and Architecture 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 12 List of Contributors 14 Abbreviations 30 Introduction: “The Artifice of Eternity” 32 PART ONE: APPROACHING BYZANTINE ART 50 1. The Origin of Icons 52 2. Byzantine Art and Perception 62 3. Spolia in Byzantine Art and Architecture 78 4. The Icon 90 5. Iconoclasm 106 6. Magic and Byzantine Art 116 7. Bodily Adornment and Modification in Byzantium 130 8. Secular Art 148 9. The Imperial Arts 164 10. Private Collecting and the Art Market for Byzantine Artifacts 178 11. The Byzantine Arts and Byzantine Literature 190 PART TWO: RECEPTION OF BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHITECTURE 204 Neighbors to the East and South 206 12. Armenia 208 13. Georgia 220 14. Islamic States and the Middle East 232 Looking Westward 246 15. Italy, the Crusader States, and Cyprus 248 16. South Slavic Lands 266 After the Fall 284 17. “Byzance après Byzance” and Post-​Byzantine Art from the Late Fifteenth Century through the Eighteenth Century 286 18. The Byzantine Revival in Europe 302 PART THREE: THE REALIA OF BYZANTINE ART 314 Archaeology 316 19. Archaeology: Sites and Approaches 318 Architecture 338 20. Religious Architecture 340 21. Devotional Practices and the Development of the Church Building 362 22. Secular Architecture: Domestic 382 23. Secular Architecture: Military 394 24. Acceptance and Adaptation of Byzantine Architectural Types in the “Byzantine Commonwealth” 404 Decoration of Structures/​Byzantine Wall Decoration 420 25. Mosaics 422 26. Monumental Painting: Pre-​Iconoclasm 440 27. Monumental Painting: Post-​Iconoclasm 454 28. Stone Sculpture 474 Portable Media 488 29. Illuminated Manuscripts: Religious 490 30. Illuminated Manuscripts: Secular 512 31. Liturgical Objects 526 32. Bronze and Copper Icons 546 33. Amulets, Crosses, and Reliquaries 556 34. Ivories and Steatites 572 35. Ceramics 582 36. Glass 596 37. Jewelry and Enamels 606 38. Textile Media 624 Index 638 Byzantine art has been an underappreciated field, often treated as an adjunct to the arts of the medieval West, if considered at all. In illustrating the richness and diversity of art in the Byzantine world, this handbook will help establish the subject as a distinct field worthy of serious inquiry. 0Essays consider Byzantine art as art made in the eastern Mediterranean world, including the Balkans, Russia, the Near East and north Africa, between the years 330 and 1453. Much of this art was made for religious purposes, created to enhance and beautify the Orthodox liturgy and worship space, as well as to serve in a royal or domestic context. Discussions in this volume will consider both aspects of this artistic creation, across a wide swath of geography and a long span of time.0The volume marries older, object-based considerations of themes and monuments which form the backbone of art history, to considerations drawing on many different methodologies-sociology, semiotics, anthropology, archaeology, reception theory, deconstruction theory, and so on-in an up-to-date synthesis of scholarship on Byzantine art and architecture. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Art and Architecture is a comprehensive overview of a particularly rich field of study, offering a window into the world of this fascinating and beautiful period of art. "This handbook offers a wide-ranging introduction to the richness and diversity of the arts in the Byzantine world. It includes thirty-eight essays by international authors, from prominent researchers to emerging scholars, on various issues and media. Discussions consider art created for religious purposes, to enhance and beautify the Orthodox liturgy and worship space, as well as art made to serve in royal and domestic contexts. While Byzantium is defined as the years 330-1453 CE, some chapters treat the aftermath and influence of Byzantine art on later periods. Arts covered include buildings and objects from the Eastern Mediterranean region, including the Balkans, Russia, North Africa, and the Near East. The volume brings together object-based considerations of themes and monuments which form the backbone of art history, with considerations drawing on many different methodologies-sociology, semiotics, anthropology, archaeology, reception theory, deconstruction theory, among others-all in an up-to-date synthesis of scholarship on Byzantine art and architecture. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Art and Architecture is a comprehensive overview of a rich field of study, offering a window into the world of this distinct and fascinating period of art"--