Inspired by Byzantine

The Byzantine Empire existed as a continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Inspired by its capital city, Byzantium, which became Constantinople, Byzantine art refers to a period of art history that evolved from Christianized Greek culture. As such the presence of Christianity and classical Greek mythology are artistically expressed in symbiosis through Hellenistic modes of style and iconography. The fundamental artistic attitude held by the Byzantine Greeks was an attempt to create symbolic representations of themes of a religious or imperial nature. 

Frescoes from this period can be seen as to anticipate the Italian Renaissance in their style. The illumination of manuscripts was another major genre of Byzantine art. The most commonly illustrated texts were religious, both scripture itself, particularly the Psalms and devotional or theological texts such as the Ladder of Divine Ascent of John Climacus or the homilies of Gregory of Nazianzus. The so-called minor arts were very important in the Byzantine artistic realm. These included carved ivories, hardstone carvings, enamels, glass, jewelry, metalwork, and figured silks. Despite popular conception, Byzantine ceramics were relatively crude and denoted a lower social standing than what might have been expected during the contemporary period. Instead the higher echelons of society would not be used to using pottery but instead banquetted using Byzantine silver. Today, the most famous artistic legacy of the Byzantine era is probably the mosaic. Absolute experts in the field, Byzantine craftsmen covered walls of palaces with elaborate golden patterns that are still intact to this day. This visual culture has inspired many artists since, including Gustav Klimt in the 19th century.

Discover the selection our experts have put together of artworks inspired by the Byzantine era—a time of artistic fruition and opulence!