Hagia Sophia and the Byzantine Aesthetic Experience

321 Pages·2014·8.78 MB·English

by  Nadine Schibille

hagia sophia and the byzantine aesthetic experience
Paramount in the shaping of early Byzantine identity was the construction
of the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (532–537 CE). This book
examines the edifice from the perspective of aesthetics to define the concept
of beauty and the meaning of art in early Byzantium. Byzantine aesthetic
thought is re-evaluated against late antique Neoplatonism and the writings
of Pseudo-Dionysius that offer fundamental paradigms for the late antique
attitude towards art and beauty. These metaphysical concepts of aesthetics
are ultimately grounded in experiences of sensation and perception, and
reflect the ways in which the world and reality were perceived and grasped,
signifying the cultural identity of early Byzantium.
There are different types of aesthetic data, those present in the aesthetic
object and those found in aesthetic responses to the object. This study looks
at the aesthetic data embodied in the sixth-century architectural structure and
interior decoration of Hagia Sophia as well as in literary responses (ekphrasis)
to the building. The purpose of the Byzantine ekphrasis was to convey by
verbal means the same effects that the artefact itself would have caused. A
literary analysis of these rhetorical descriptions recaptures the Byzantine
perception and expectations, and at the same time reveals the cognitive
processes triggered by the Great Church.
The central aesthetic feature that emerges from sixth-century ekphraseis of
Hagia Sophia is that of light. Light is described as the decisive element in the
experience of the sacred space and light is simultaneously associated with
the notion of wisdom. It is argued that the concepts of light and wisdom are
interwoven programmatic elements that underlie the unique architecture
and non-figurative decoration of Hagia Sophia. A similar concern for the
phenomenon of light and its epistemological dimension is reflected in other
contemporary monuments, testifying to the pervasiveness of these aesthetic
values in early Byzantium.
Dr Nadine Schibille is a Lecturer in Art History at the University of Sussex, UK.
Apse window of Hagia Sophia with sixth-century transennae and mosaics.
Photo, by the author.
Hagia Sophia and the
Byzantine Aesthetic Experience
Nadine Schibille
University of Sussex, UK
© Nadine Schibille 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission
of the publisher.
Nadine Schibille has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
Published by
Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company
Wey Court East 110 Cherry Street
Union Road Suite 3-1
Farnham Burlington, VT 05401-3818
Surrey, GU9 7PT USA
England
www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:
Schibille, Nadine.
Hagia Sophia and the Byzantine aesthetic experience / by Nadine Schibille.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4724-3758-7 (hbk) -- ISBN 978-1-4724-4795-1 (ebook) --
ISBN 978-1-4724-4794-4 (epub) 1. Ayasofya Müzesi. 2. Architecture--
Aesthetics. 3. Aesthetics, Byzantine. I. Title.
NA5870.A9S34 2014
726.6094961’8--dc23
2014016691
ISBN 978-1-4724-3758-7 (hbk)
ISBN 978-1-4724-4795-1 (ebk – ePDF)
ISBN 978-1-4724-4794-4 (ebk – ePUB)
V
Printed in the United Kingdom by Henry Ling
Limited, at the Dorset Press, Dorchester, DT1 1HD
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Acknowledgements   xi
ListofAbbreviations   xiii
Introduction: Byzantine Aesthetics   1
1 Viewing Hagia Sophia through Sixth-Century Eyes   13
Visualising Hagia Sophia through the Agency of Light   16
Making Listeners into Spectators – The Concept of Enargeia   27
Phantasia and the Perception of the Divine   32
‘A Sanctuary of Wisdom’   37
Conclusion   40
2 Animation and Illumination of Hagia Sophia’s Architectural
Structure   43
Constructing a Sacred Space   47
The Spatial Impression   51
A Canopy of Heaven   56
Natural Light as Formative Principle   62
Some Nocturnal Sun   70
Tradition and Innovation   75
Conclusion   95
3 Clad in a Luminous Membrane: The Interior Decoration
of Hagia Sophia   97
Blossoming Marble Meadows   99
The Mosaic Decoration   109
4 Building a House of Wisdom – A Question of Meaning   127
Crosses and Jewels   129
Colour and the Byzantine Brain   139
vi Hagia SopHia and tHe Byzantine aeStHetic experience
Pictorial Tradition and the Language of Communication   146
Aesthetic of Light and Colour   168
5 Hagia Sophia and the Concept of Beauty in the Sixth Century  171
Pseudo-Dionysius   173
Beauty, Light and Being   177
Beauty, Light and Wisdom (Episteme)   184
Beauty, Light and Darkness   191
Aesthetics of Light – A Tentative Conclusion   194
6 The Function of Art in the Sixth Century   199
Mimesis and the Symbol   202
The Symbol and Anagoge   205
The Artist as Demiurge and the Highest Form of Art   212
Art and Symbolism in the Early Christian Tradition   215
a Metaphysical aesthetic of Light and the church of Hagia
Sophia   223
7 Hagia Sophia – Embodiment of an Early Byzantine Aesthetic  227
Appendix:TheMarblesFoundintheInteriorDecorationofHagiaSophia   241
Bibliography   245
Index 275
List of Illustrations
Note, all photographs by author unless otherwise stated.
Colour Plates
1 Study of Light in apse, 1948. Byzantine 7 Marble revetment on the western
Institute. © Dumbarton Oaks, Image gallery of Hagia Sophia.
Collections and Fieldwork Archives,
Washington, DC. 8 Original sixth-century mosaic
decoration in the cross vault of the inner
2 Virtual reconstruction of the interior narthex of Hagia Sophia.
of Hagia Sophia looking south-east.
© Lars Grobe, Oliver Hauck, Andreas 9 Detail of the decorative borders
Noback, Rudolf H.W. Stichel and Helge enclosing a double cross in the apex of
Svenshon (Technische Universität an inner narthex vault.
Darmstadt); published in (Stichel, 2008).
10 Silver star design in the mosaic
3 Virtual reconstruction of the cross decoration of the inner narthex vault.
section of Hagia Sophia along its
longitudinal axis as seen from south. 11 Stylised lotus bud motif with
© Lars Grobe, Oliver Hauck, Andreas shading in the inner narthex vault.
Noback, Rudolf H.W. Stichel and Helge
Svenshon (Technische Universität 12 Original sixth-century mosaics in
Darmstadt); published in Grobe et al. the south aisle vaults of Hagia Sophia.
(2010).
13 Detail of the cross vaults in the
4 Naos of Hagia Sophia looking from south aisle, showing the ornamental
the west gallery towards the northern band and double cross in the apex.
arcades and tympanon.
14 Stylised winged lotus buds in the
5 View of south aisle of Hagia Sophia cross vaults of the south aisle.
looking east.
15 Central design in the south aisle
6 Marble revetment in the west bay of cross vault, where the sign of the cross
the south aisle of Hagia Sophia. has been ‘whitewashed’.
viii HAGIA SOpHIA AND THe ByzANTINe AeSTHeTIC expeRIeNCe
16 Large Latin cross in the south aisle inner narthex of Hagia Sophia, including
of Hagia Sophia. opus sectile and undercut cornice.
17 Detail of the mosaic rendering of 29 Detail of zigzag pattern on the
jewels and pearls of the crux gemmata in transverse arches of the south aisle.
the south aisle (detail of plate 16).
30 patch of possibly sixth-century
18 Mosaic decoration in the barrel ornamental border on the western rim of
vault of the south-western subsidiary the eastern barrel vault (adjacent to the
pier, connecting the aisle and the naos of apse semi-dome).
Hagia Sophia.
31 Detail of mosaic decoration in the
19 Mosaics in the barrel vault of the
tunnel vault alongside the lateral arcades
south-western buttress pier.
on the gallery, showing the inclination of
gold-leaf tesserae (probably not sixth-
20 Dual-coloured vines in the soffit
century).
of the north-eastern exedra arcades of
Hagia Sophia at gallery level (possibly
32 Apse mosaic in the monastery of
sixth century).
Saint Catherine at Sinai. Robert Sisson.
© National Geographic Creative.
21 Similar plant motif in the soffits of
the lateral arcades of the south gallery.
33 Schematic representation of the
mosaic programme in the apse of Saint
22 Mosaic decoration in the soffits
Catherine’s monastery. On the left of
of the lateral arcades at gallery level
the two central windows above the
parallel to the tunnel vault on the gallery
triumphal arch, Moses removes his
side.
sandals before the burning bush; on the
right, he receives the law from the hand
23 Central arch of the south gallery
of God. The apse conch below shows the
arcade parallel to the tunnel vault on the
transfiguration of Christ, completing the
gallery side.
cycle of theophanies.
24 Mosaic decoration of the central arch
of the west gallery arcades. 34 Mosaic decoration of the apse semi-
dome of San Vitale in Ravenna.
25 Remains of a spider web motif in the
spandrel of the central cross vault in the 35 presbytery cross vault of San Vitale
south gallery of Hagia Sophia. in Ravenna.
26 Mosaics in the tunnel vaults behind 36 Detail of presbytery cross vault with
the south gallery arcade (probably not Agnus Dei in the apex.
sixth century).
37 Justinian panel on the northern wall
27 Apse window of Hagia Sophia with of the apse in San Vitale.
sixth-century transennae and mosaics.
38 Detail of emperor Justinian and
28 Transition between marble bishop Maximian, in front of another
revetment and mosaic decoration in the figure that was added later.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix
39 Theodora panel on the southern wall Note the height of the dome has been
of the apse. reduced to approximate the profile of
a pendentive dome as it is assumed to
40 Detail of the three Magi on Theodora’s have existed in the original sixth-century
chlamys. configuration (compare plate 3).
41 Lunette on the northern presbytery 2.7 Lighting device in the shape of a
wall showing Abraham feeding the three menorah with birds with flames in their
men/angels and the sacrifice of Isaac. beaks (adapted from the manuscript
of Cosmas Indicopleustes; Florence,
42 St. Mark and his lion on the Biblioteca Laurenziana, MS plut. 9.28,
southern presbytery wall of San Vitale. fol.126v).
Black and White Figures 2.8 Ground plan of the Studios basilica
in Istanbul (adapted from van Millingen
2.1 Skyline of Istanbul looking south 1912).
from Galata across the Golden Horn.
2.9 Ground plan of Santa Costanza in
2.2 exterior of Hagia Sophia seen from Rome (adapted from Brandenburg 2004).
the south.
2.10 Ground plan of Sts. Sergios and
2.3 plan of ground floor (A) and Bacchus in Istanbul (adapted from
the gallery level (B) of Hagia Sophia Mathews 1971).
(adapted from Mainstone 1988).
2.11 Ground plan of San Vitale in
2.4 exterior of the apse of Hagia Sophia Ravenna (adapted from Deichmann
seen from the east. 1976).
2.5 Schematic dome configurations: 3.1 Marble capital from the lateral
current dome (A) and the ideal arcades at ground level of Hagia Sophia.
configuration of a pendentive dome (B).
3.2 Motif of a leaf in the aisle of Hagia
2.6 Cross section of Hagia Sophia along Sophia with mosaic tesserae of different
its longitudinal axis as seen from south shades (of green) to model the effect of
(adapted from Grobe et al. 2010, plate 2). light.