HA 323
BYZANTINE ART
History of Byzantine Art
Syllabus
Winter-spring 2012
Class Schedule
Lectures on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays 2.30-3.20pm
Fine Arts Building 103
CRN 24821 – A01
Instructor
Dr Eva Baboula
Office
Fine Arts Building, Room 141
Office hours
Wednesdays 1-2pm, or by
appointment
E-mail [email protected]
Please include ‘HA323’ in the subject
line of your messages
Contents
1
Course Outline
2
Attendance & participation
Communication
Hindrance to participation
3
Graded assignments &
policies
Grading Scheme
4
Writing Guide
Citation style
Plagiarism
What is a research essay?
5
Course readings & plan
Supplementary readings
Bibliography on Reserve
My goal is to introduce you to the
intricacies of an extremely rich and
confident artistic culture which
balanced its way through major
political and theological conflicts to
exercise a far-reaching influence on
the art and social norms of
medieval and Renaissance Europe,
early modern Russia and the
contemporary eastern Christian
world.
HA 323 2012 EB
1. Course outline
The course examines the formation and
development of Byzantine art and
architecture, focusing on the period from
the Age of Iconoclasm (754-843) through to
the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman
forces in 1453. The first three weeks will be
spent establishing the cultural and artistic
background to Byzantine art. In the next
few weeks we will engage with the different
types of art produced within the confines of
the Byzantine empire and the regions that
the empire was in contact with. Visual
imagery or its absence and destruction
became a hotly debated topic amidst times
th
of intellectual and political turmoil in the 8
th
and 9 centuries. This phase provided the
setting for later, spectacular, and longlasting developments in Byzantine art. The
topics covering the Middle Byzantine period
(defined broadly as the time from the
abolition of Iconoclasm to the Crusader sack
of Constantinople in 1204) will include
church building and decoration, as well as
portable art, such as icon painting and the
illumination of manuscripts. We will also
look at what the Byzantines themselves
thought about their art through the texts
that they have left us. The final part of our
course will cover the last phase of Byzantine
art, from about 1261 to 1453, a time of
fragmentation for both the empire and its
art. But did Byzantine art end with the end
of its empire? We will assess what happens
to Byzantine art after the fall of
Constantinople, which had been the centre
of the empire for more than a thousand
years.
A very good way to get into our topic is to
visit the following website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0038x
bd and click on ‘Listen now’. This radio
program/podcast, called ‘The Siege of
Constantinople’, offers insights on what
preceded the end of the 1000-year old
empire.
2. Attendance & participation
Of course, I expect that you will work
diligently and complete your assignments
on time. Participation in all lectures is
essential since material included in the
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
lectures is not necessarily identical to that
covered in the textbook or set readings.
When in class, be prepared to look, think,
and comment aloud. What do you think
about the images and issues we discuss?
Share your thoughts and the course will be
all the better for it. By all means ask when
you have a question. No question is silly in
class - unless the information is in the
syllabus!
Communication
I will be happy to discuss your questions,
comments, bibliography and coursework, so
come and see me. If you cannot make the
office hours, send me a message to arrange
an appointment.
Please be considerate with my time and
yours outside the classroom. If you have a
question that you can look up yourselves or
a technical issue which is beyond my skill or
responsibility (e.g. computer problems), or
cannot be in class and you need lecture
notes, try and follow the most appropriate
avenue to get to the right resource – and
that is often not your instructor.
I will be replying to your e-mails in due
time. I will not reply during evenings and
weekends. I will similarly expect you to
check your e-mail regularly and reply to my
messages (if they are individually
addressed). Communication should be
courteous and proper etiquette should be
followed. You should also be checking the
moodle site for updated materials on
regular intervals.
Hindrance to participation
Should there be any health or serious family
or personal problem that may hinder your
course participation, please advise me as
early as possible. I will make every effort to
accommodate
people
with
serious
problems.
If
you
require
special
accommodation for exams due to long-term
health issues/ disability, you need to
register with the Resource Centre for
Students with a Disability
(http://rcsd.uvic.ca).
I will deal with requests for extensions for
written work due to the event of an
unforeseen medical emergency only after
you have provided me with appropriate
documentation from your doctor, UVic
Health Services (http://health.uvic.ca) or
UVic Counselling Services
(http://www.coun.uvic.ca).
2
No extensions will be granted due to a
heavy workload in other courses or planned
trips. Late assignments will otherwise be
penalized with 2% for each day they are
delayed. It is also your responsibility to be
present on the day of an exam. Missed
assignments will receive 0 and no chances
for make-up assignments will be given
unless there is medical documentation that
justifies such accommodation.
3. Graded Assignments & Policies
permissible), print it or photocopy it from a
book in order to bring it to class; write one
page of information – headings and further
details to be found on moodle about it; and
share your finding with a small group in
class. This is an informal exercise and I will
not be marking closely for content or
quality. But you have to be able to say
something about it that is not copied or
processed from other sources. Find
something that catches your attention (e.g.
something funny, unusual or beautiful).
The total mark for this course will be
evaluated as follows:
Research an image
2 Slide tests
Essay
& annotated bibliography
Final test
5%
2x 20%
35%
5%
15%
The different assignments for this course
are meant to exercise a diverse range of
visual and interpretive skills, including
looking at art and architecture in a
structured manner that allows us to see
connections within an image and between
the image and the world around it. The best
way to acquire or practise such skills is to
read, read, read, and look, look, look; and,
of course, think about what we see and
read.
Slide tests (Marked out of 50)
The slide tests (2 February and 8 March)
will be based on the lectures up to 30
January (Slide test 1) and from 6 February
to 5 March (Slide test 2). You will be
required to provide a short description and
analysis of four slides and a comparison (in
terms of description and analysis) between
two more slides.
The slide tests are meant to exercise your
analytical thinking and writing and can be
helpful with the methodology (and
structure) needed for your larger pieces of
coursework, especially the essay. Note that
online slide reviews (through DIDO, the
online image database of the Department
of History in Art) will be available three days
before the slide test. More information will
be found on the course website. You should
be able to log on to DIDO using your netlink
id and password. You can try it out by
visiting https://finearts.uvic.ca/dido/ .
Research an artefact & report to class
We will devote 30 minutes on this activity
on 9 February. Here is how it works: you
find an image on DIDO (other sources are
Written essay (due 26 March; marked out
of 50) with annotated bibliography
The essay topics and further guidelines will
be made available online. The essay should
include an annotated bibliography of works
cited in your text. The annotated
bibliography is worth an extra 5% if you do
it well. Each annotation should include an
explanation (2 to 4 phrases) to show how a
particular source has been useful for your
writing. Do discuss with me your choice of
topic and appropriate bibliography before
you hand me the final paper. For issues
related to the style and quality of writing,
please see below. A list of essay topics will
be made available on moodle.
Final test (4 April; marked out of 100)
Format will be a combination of multiplechoice and similar-type questions, and short
answers involving concepts and terms we
encounter in the course and images we
have examined. This test is cumulative.
4. Writing guide
Citation style
Whatever style you choose, be consistent!
The McPherson Library offers some
excellent advice, access to style guides, and
general research help at
http://library.uvic.ca/site/research/index.ht
ml. You can also consult the History in Art
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Style Sheet for relevant issues and a writing
guide:
http://finearts.uvic.ca/historyinart/forms/u
vic_ha_style_guide1.pdf
I would advise choosing a simple style and
following it throughout your text.
Iconoclasm: the Early Byzantine artistic
legacy, the roots of Iconoclasm and
Iconoclastic art
READING: Cormack, chapter 3
Week 4
23, 25, 26 Jan
The scholarly Middle Byzantine phase:
manuscripts and the triumph of the image
READING: Cormack, chapter 4 up to p. 117
Plagiarism & Quality of Research
The usual University regulations apply for
plagiarism (University Calendar, see pp. 3334 of Undergraduate Calendar). If you are
not sure what plagiarism is, ask me; also see
http://library.uvic.ca/site/lib/instruction/cit
e/plagiarism.html.
While
the
term
plagiarism implies deliberate cheating, all of
us need to acknowledge our sources
properly since we often quote other
people’s sayings and writings. You don’t
need to go overboard with attributing your
every written word to someone else. The
best practice is to read, digest, and write in
your own words. When you have seen some
important piece of information or are
inspired for some of your points/ideas by
someone else, add a footnote/citation.
What is a research essay?
It is important to realize and keep in mind
what a research essay is: collecting
information together is only one part of it.
Whether you put together some of your
basic material and then analyze it, or collect
and analyze at the same time, you should
not just repeat what others say. You always
have to select the most appropriate aspects
of the information you read, and take your
material one step further – asking
questions, processing, analyzing and
building an argument is the difficult part but
the most exciting and rewarding one.
5. Course Readings & plan
The textbook for this course is Byzantine
Art, by Robin Cormack (Oxford University
Press, 2000).
There is also an optional textbook: Lyn
Rodley, Byzantine Art and Architecture: An
Introduction (Cambridge University Press,
1994, reprinted 2001). You can use this in
conjunction to or instead of the
supplementary online readings from Grove
Art Online which I have provided.
Grove Art Online is a major reference work.
For access to this digital database, have a
look at the end of the syllabus.
The book chapters will not necessarily
correlate closely to the visual material we
cover on a day-to-day basis. It is important
to keep up with your readings in order to be
able to link the book contents and the
lecture material.
Below is the provisional plan for the
lectures with accompanying readings. The
plan may be adapted if we need to spend
more time on a particular issue or
monument.
Value the content of your paper more than
its style and presentation (for our course at
least). A good content can be beautified
later; a bad content cannot be improved by
wasting large amounts of energy and time
on matters of presentation.
Week 1
4, 5 Jan
Introduction
The historical and cultural background of
Byzantine art
READING: Cormack, chapter 1
Grading Scheme
Week 2
9, 11, 12 Jan
Early Byzantine art: Constantinople and
regional Christianity
Handling session 1 at Special Collections on
11 January: details to be announced
READING: Cormack, chapter 2
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D
90-100
85-89
80-84
75-79
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54
Week 3
16, 18, 19 Jan
Week 5
30 Jan, 1, 2 Feb
Middle Byzantine mosaics of Hagia Sophia
Icons and worship
Slide Test 1 (20%): Thursday, 2 Feb
READING: Cormack, Chapter 4, p. 117 to end
of chapter
Week 6
6, 8, 9 Feb
th
th
11 -12
century
architecture
and
iconographic programs
9 Feb: research and report an image
session!
READING: Cormack, chapter 5 up to p. 179
Week 7
13 -17 Feb READING BREAK (no classes)
Week 8
20, 22, 23 Feb
Architecture and iconography continued
Luxury,
international
contacts,
and
ceremony
READING: see supplementary readings
Week 9
27, 29 Feb, 1 Mar
Words, material culture and Byzantine
archaeology
READING: see supplementary readings
Week 10
5, 7, 8 Mar
Art and architecture in the periphery:
Cappadocia, Armenia, Sicily
Slide Test 2 (20%): Thursday, 8 Mar
READING: Cormack, Chapter, p. 179 to end of
chapter; also see supplementary readings
Week 11
12, 14, 15 Mar
Artistic relations with Sicily and Kiev;
Crusader connections
READING: see supplementary readings
Week 12
19, 21, 22 Mar
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
Late Byzantine art: the Balkans
A poorer state, more patrons: new artistic
patterns
READING: Cormack, chapter 6 to p. 200
Week 13
26, 28, 29 Mar
Monastic foundations and patronage by
men and women
Deadline for written essay papers (35 +
5%): 26 March
Handling session 2 at Special Collections on
28 March: details to be announced
READING: Cormack, chapter 6, p. 200 to end
of chapter; see supplementary readings
Week 14
2, 4, 5 Apr
The end of Byzantium: Mistras, heritage
Overview
Final Test (15%): Thursday, 5 Apr
READING: See supplementary readings
Supplementary readings from
Grove Art Online
Grove Art Online is available through the
Library website.
Visit http://library.uvic.ca/ and click on
Databases in order to look for Grove Art.
Grove Art can also be consulted in printed
versions in the Reference Section of the
Library. The large entry on Early Christian
and Byzantine Art has many useful
subsections. Treat the following entries as
your normal reading to cover areas that do
not form the focus of the textbook itself,
but you can find much additional, useful
4
information in the same resource – and
bibliography for your essay.
Look for the following entries through the
semester:
From the general entry on Early Christian
and Byzantine art, navigate to:

Architecture sections
II.2.(ii) a, b, c: c. 600-c. 843;
II.2.(iii) a, b, c: c. 843-c. 1204;
II.2.(iv) c: c. 1204-1453: Greece and the
Balkans

Byzantine manuscript sections
V.2.(i): Introduction
V.2.(iv) f: Psalters
V.2.(v) a: Gregory

VII. Other Arts. Scan the contents of
this section to see which areas are
covered.
Separate entries on

Hosios Loukas

Nea Moni: go to entry ‘Chios’ and
navigate to 2. Buildings

Cappadocia

Aght’amar

Monreale Cathedral: go to 1.
Introduction, 2. Architecture, 3.
Mosaics

Melisende Psalter

Chora monastery - this is under the
entry ‘Istanbul’: go to III. Buildings. 3.
Christ the Saviour in Chora. (i)
Architectre, (ii) Mosaics and wall
paintings, (iii) Other decoration.

Mistras: go to 1. History and urban
development, 2. Buildings. (iv) The
Peribleptos,(vi) The Pantanassa
Under the entry on Palermo go to the
following buildings:

II.2.(ii) Cappella Palatina, 3. S Maria
dell’Ammiraglio [La Martorana]
Lyn Rodley, Byzantine Art and Architecture:
An Introduction (Cambridge University
Press, 1994, reprinted 2001): not great on
pictures, but this is an extremely helpful
survey of many different types of
architecture and art.
A. Bryer and J. Herrin, eds. Iconoclasm.
Birmingham: University of Birmingham
Press, 1977. [this is also an e-book
accessible through the Library website]
O. Demus, Byzantine Mosaic Decoration:
Aspects of Monumental Art in Byzantium.
London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1948
(reprinted 1964).
H. Evans and W. Wixom, eds. The Glory of
Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle
Byzantine Era, AD 845-1261. New York:
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997. Avoid
taking this out of the Library as it is a very
hefty volume and easy to damage. Also
refrain from photocopying from this book.
H. Evans, ed. Byzantium: Faith and Power
(1261-1557). New Haven: Yale University
Press and the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 2004. As above on avoiding to take
this out of the library and photocopying.
C. Mango, Byzantine Architecture. History of
World Architecture. New York: Harry N.
Abrams, 1975.
D. Talbot Rice. Art of the Byzantine Era.
World of Art. London: Thames and
Hudson, 1963 (reprinted 1997).
K. Weitzmann et al. The Icon. New York:
Alfred A. Knopf, 1982.
Another very useful reference resource is
the Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (ODB),
available online through the Library.
***
Bibliography on Reserve
The McPherson Library has one of the best
collections of books and other library
resources on Byzantine art in Canada, so
you should try and take advantage of it for
your revision, essay preparation and further
reading. A selection of relevant books for
perusal and essay research is kept in the
Reserve section of the Library – mostly
available on a one-day loan. Reserve lists
can be found through the Library website.
Look at the textbook(s), Grove Art and the
Reserve for suggestions of bibliography for
your essays. If you have more suggestions
for the Reserve or cannot find material, let
me know (early).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .