7. Byzantine Art.
The manner of building and painting, the tradition of jewellery, metal work and decoration that we call Byzantine, are so closely connected with the history and liturgy of the Orthodox Eastern Church, that we ought not to pass them over here without some notice. The Byzantine question is one of those that are most disputed by archaeologists. When the Romans had come under the influence of Greece, they, or their Greek artists, covered the Empire with the buildings and statues that we call Roman-Greek. This manner lasted without much development till about the end of the 3rd century. As far as Christians during this time were able to practise the fine arts, they naturally followed the tradition of their time. The catacomb paintings obviously belong to the same school as those of Pompeii. They are, of course, poorer and rougher, because they are the work of a poor and persecuted community that could not afford the service of any great artist. About the time of Diocletian (284–305) a new influence crosses this Roman-Greek school. For centuries there had been an Asiatic manner quite distinct from Greek work. It had come down from an almost fabulous age. The temple that Solomon had made Phœnicians build for him, the city of Ninive, the palace where Daniel stood before Nabuchodonosor, were built in it. The Persians had learnt it from the Babylonians, the Seleucid kings from the Persians. In the North of Syria there still stand a number of cities built in the Asiatic style, though already under Greek influence. Palmyra and Baalbek are the best known examples. They have arches and cupolas set on a square. Diocletian went to live at Asia for a time, and he brought back a taste for Asiatic architecture that still may be seen in his palace in Dalmatia. It is the crossing of these two traditions, Roman-Greek and Asiatic, that produced what we call Byzantine art. Just as they began to be combined two events happened that gave to the new style a sudden importance. Constantinople was built and the Christians, at last set free, began to cover the Empire with churches. Both the new city and the new religion naturally used the manner of building that was then in vogue. Of course no one was
