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  The Art of Mosaics
---- Historical Background of Mosaic Art----
 
  About Mosaic Art  
After the forth century B.C. however, it became the most wide spread decorative means. Mosaics of this sort were discovered in Pella , Rhodes and Dhelos. The artists of that period, in spite of limited resources, produced work of great value. These artists were substantially influenced by Classical Greek art and one can see in these mosaics the best possible combination of the Classical and Hellenistic elements: austere designs colourations on the one hand, meticulous execution of the work on the other.

 
We find large churches being erected through out the empire and decorated by and large with mosaics. Ranging from Ravenna to Constantinople and from Thessaloniki to Cyprus (Panayia tis Kanakarias, Panayia angelokisti, Panayia tis Kyros in Livadia, etc) the Byzantine emperors encouraged the artisans to create works which hold an important place in the History of Art on a word wide scale.
The decline of the Byzantine Empire from the 13th century onwards brings about a parallel decline in the art of mosaics.
 
 
The Earliest Mosaics to be discovered by archaeologists to date are those found in Mesopotamia and it is estimated that they originate from as far back as 3000 B.C. They are relatively small in size and appear crude by today's standards. Other mosaics estimated to be from the same period are those encountered in Egyptian and Persian monuments. We can, however suppose that there exist even older mosaics, dating from the time when Man first emerged from caves and started building houses and roads, that is to say from the beginning of civilisation.
It seems though that it was the Greeks, around the fourth century B.C. who first developed the making of mosaics into an art and gave them a different dimension. It also appears that, during the Classical era, this art was not appreciated in the same ways the architecture and sculpture were.
 
The Art of Mosaics was used by the Romans to a great extent. Workshops abounded and the artisans were strictly organised in various unions through which they would undertake the decoration of the floors of both public buildings as well as the elite's private homes. One encounters such mosaics through out the Greek space while in Cyprus they can be found in Paphos, Kourion, Salamis, etc.

Mosaics reached their heyday during the Byzantine years. Following the prevalence of Christianity (fourth century A.D.) ant its establishment as the official religion of the state.

The remaining artist leave for Italy in search of jobs where, even if on a smaller scale, the decoration of churches using mosaics continues for a few more centuries. Subsequently, the art of mosaics fades into obscurity for about 3 centuries.

 
Various attempts at reviving the art, made in Europe, do not bring about any results until, during the first decade of our century, a fervent use of mosaics occurs in churches and monuments of Paris. At the same time, a centre for the study of mosaics is opened in Ravenna , where great artists both study and carry out works worthy of mention.In the Greek world, the revival of Byzantine art by Photis Kontoglou, primarily after 1950 brings about the establishment of a few workshops which attempt to study and create works of art using mosaic techniques.

One of these workshops, as a matter of fact the only one in Cyprus , is the Byzantine Hagiography and Mosaic Workshop, run by the Kepolas brothers.

 
Read More about Mosaics Here
  Byzantine Art
 
 
The Byzantine Empire, during the early centuries of the Christian era, covered a vast expanse of territory-from the southern tip of Spain way across the Mediterranean to Jerusalem , from the northern shores of the Black Sea to the north coast of Africa . Its borders and boundaries inevitably shifted a bit over the centuries, but the Empire and its monumental achievement in the fields of art and creativity survived for over a thousand years; its influence for centuries more.

The whole character of the Roman Empire had changed completely with the Edict of Milan in 313 AD and the Imperial recognition of Christianity an underground movement, practicing its rites secretly in the catacombs; it was now a state religion. A further act of far-reaching consequence at the time was the Emperor Constantine's move of his capital from Rome to Byzantium in 330 AD, for Byzantium was to become the greatest creative center of mediaeval times, and a stronghold of immense power at the Eastern end of Europe.

In the division of the Roman Empire into East and West in 395 AD Cyprus was included in the Eastern part. The Christian church in Cyprus was fully established by the end of the fourth century; the kingdoms of ancient times had been replaced by the bishoprics, the old pagan temples by churches dedicated to Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Saints. The early years of the Cypriot Church were troubled ones, due to repeated take-over bids by the Patriarch of Antioch, but the discovery of the remains of the Apostle Barnabas near Salamis in 478 AD confirmed the apostolic origins of the Cyprus Church .

The Emperor forthwith declared it autocephalus (self governing) and conferred upon the Archbishop of Cyprus the privileges of carrying an Imperial scepter, wearing a cope of Imperial purple and signing his name in red ink – privileges which the Archbishop of Cyprus retains to this day.

Cyprus at this period was a mainly agricultural economy, but industries were developing, which would include before long the silkworm, which had already found its way to Byzantium . Communications on the island were improving and the life of the people was taking on a new shape under the guidance of the new religion. It had not been just a question of replacing Apollo with Christ and Aphrodite with the Virgin Mary. The people of Cyprus , as in the Byzantine area generally, were interested in the new religion and the Church. There had been a good deal of disenchantment with the older religions, and the concept of one Supreme Being, together with the promise of eternal joy and felicity, rather appealed. Since it was believed that ultimate salvation would depend on following every doctrine of the new faith, the people devoted a good deal of attention to religious matters, and the Church, for its part, wooed the people, as it had to carry out its promised of a better life than that which had prevailed in pagan times.

One way and another, it was a favourable climate in which the Church prospered. From the Emperor downwards the people expressed their devotion by showering gifts upon it – sometimes icons or specially commissioned paintings - sometimes Church furnishings or sacramental vessels, and often the gifts took the form of money or the land for new buildings. The interiors of the churches, considered to be reflections of the celestial realm were concentrated upon, and given most lavish treatment; Byzantine ingenuity and wealth combined to make them as beautiful as possible and even in the poorest areas efforts were made to adorn the church interiors from floor level to dome.
In Cyprus , as elsewhere in the Empire, the magnificent building and decorating of churches and monasteries characterized the Byzantine era. The whole scope of Byzantine art in Cyprus is a complex and specialized subject, which cannot be properly expounded in a short article, so what follows must necessarily be very much simplified. As a generalization it can be said that most Byzantine art was religious art – restrained, beautiful and quite distinctive.

 
The Byzantines were not really innovators, but had an outstanding knack of developing innovative ideas into something significant and important. They were responsible for the domed church, for a certain style of icon, which came to be characteristic in the Orthodox world and they established opulent mosaics, both as wall decorations and floors. Both in mosaic and in painting, their artists created subtle and delicate compositions, combining the features they liked from Hellenistic, Roman and Eastern art with their won conception of the Holy Hierarchy, in reality creating something new. A most significant instance of borrowing was their adaptation of the funerary painted portraits of Egypt from which the icon was developed. After the fall of the iconclasts, this was able to develop without any limitations, along with other forms of figural art.

Roughly speaking, there are in Cyprus three periods of Byzantine art that from before the Arab invasions which started in 647 AD and continues off and on for the next three centuries; then the post – invasion period which runs approximately to the beginning of the feudal era; and then the feudal into Turkish period when Cyprus had lost its direct relationship with Byzantium and only the tradition remained.

There is very little left in Cyprus dating from before the Arab invasions, as this was a long period of destruction and looting which reduced the island almost to a heap of rubble. But one outstanding survival is the mosaic depicting the Virgin between Archangels at Angeloktistis Church , Kiti, near Larnaca, which is dated to the 6 th or 7 th century AD. The Arabs destroyed the early basilica, housing this mosaic, but the mosaic itself miraculously escaped their depredations. The iconoclastic controversy, which raged in the Byzantine world during the 8 th and 9 th centuries forbade the portrayal of figures in paintings, icons, church vestments, hangings etc., but Cyprus was not affected by these restrictions and so the island became a place of refuge of iconolatrous monks from the mainland. Thus, from about this time, features of the art traditions of Asia Minor are apparent in the Cypriot Byzantine paintings – for instance, the frescoes in the church of Ayia Solomoni .
Following the conclusion of a treaty between Byzantium and the Arabs by which Cyprus became neutral, life on the island was peaceful again. Many of the great cities lay in ruins after the Arab invasions, but rebuilding went on apace and artistic and cultural life burst into a renewed and glorious flowering. Links with Byzantium in the art and religious fields became very close and there was a frenzy of activity on the church scene. Monasteries such as Kykko and Makheras were either built or endowed with Imperial funds; the new five-domed church came into being, such as Ayia Paraskevi at Yeroskipos and Ayii Varnavas and Hilarion at Peristerona, both of which can still be seen today; there were visits to Cyprus by master painters from Byzantium who came to paint and teach their art; there was much painting of church interiors and icons. In fact, the oldest surviving icons in Cyprus date from this peaceful and fertile period.

Some of the painted churches of this time were destroyed through fires or earthquakes, but a number remain to this day – small treasure houses of 11 th and 12 th century Byzantine art. Some of the finest frescoes can be seen at the church of Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis near Kakopetria. The name means St. Nicolas of the Roof and it can readily be seen that this was originally a domed church which had the slanting roof, together with its name, added later. Another remarkable painted church is that of Panayia Phorviotissa at Asinou, built by Nicephorus Magistros, believed to have been the son of the duke-governor of Cyprus from 1103-1107. This is a vaulted building, also with a second slanting roof, and is completely painted inside. The church of Ayii Apostoli at Perachorio retains part of its original painting, dated between 1160 and 1180, which is of considerable importance for very little of the art of this particular period has survived anywhere. At the Enkleistra of Ayios Neophytos in Paphos District, three caves are completely painted, and date from 1183, they show the two main trends of Byzantine art – the “court” style of the time, and the more severe “monastic” style. The Church of Panayia tou Arakou, near Lagoudhera was the gift of a local nobleman and has what is considered to be the most complete series of Byzantine paintings of this period on the island, dating from 1192.

 
When seeing these completely painted interiors, it should be remembered that many of the churches of this era also had richly embellished hangings and vestments. The brocade or velvet robes worn by certain of the clergy were often trimmed with jewels or cloisonné work, also with embroidery in gold and silver thread. The Byzantines were much preoccupied with gold and favoured it also for candlesticks; the churches had masses of candles, both in ornate floor candleholders and in hanging candelabra, to illuminate the candelabra rich altar cloths, icon adornments and Gospel covers. The altar itself, of course, formed a focal point of great magnificence with its array of crosses, chalices, patens and spoons.
But the splendors of Byzantine Cyprus and of Byzantium itself were to be rudely interrupted by another series of political events. In 1184, Isaac Comnenos, a nephew of the Emperor, proclaimed himself Emperor of Cyprus, attempted a tyrannical rule and caused alienation from Byzantium. Then came the brief sojourn of Richard Coeur de Lion, followed by nearly four hundred years of French and Italian rule, with the consequent struggle for survival of the Orthodox Church after the establishment of the Latin Church on the island.
The Crusaders took over Constantinople ( Byzantium ) itself in 1204. The Byzantines recovered their capital in 1261 and attempted to gather their Empire together again under the Palaeologue Dynasty, but Cyprus, after the events of 1191, was never again a part of the Empire.

History has recorded in painful detail the resistance of the Cyprus Orthodox Church against the Latin intruders. The resistance is reflected in the arts, as Byzantine painting traditions lived on throughout the Latin period in the villages and monasteries of the island. Examples of the work of this period can be seen in the frescoes of the St. John Lampadistis Monastery, those of 1283 in the Panayia tou Moutoulla Church and the late 13 th century frescoes of the Ay. Nikolaos tis Stegis Monastery; all show a conservative Byzantine style. From the 13 th century onwards, a new style of church architecture developed in the Troodos area probably a result of weather conditions, poverty and other factors. These churches are simple four walled buildings, constructed a stone and mud-brick, and all have steep-slanting roofs with flat tiles. Poverty was certainly a dominating factor at this period, as the new Frankish overlords had reduced the people to serfdom, and the Orthodox clergy ruthlessly suppressed.

In Constantinople a revival of the arts under the Palaeologus led to a further period of great creative brilliance and some of the artistic features of this period filtered through to Cyprus . There are many evidences of the artistic connections between Cyprus and the mainland at this time especially in the field of icon painting. With the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453 came the beginning of the end of the glorious Byzantine civilization, though it lived on in the scattered provinces of the Empire. Cyprus , receiving refugees from the mainland, was forewarned of the approaching storm and the people once again sought refuge in their religion. Thus, in the second half of the 15 th century there was a great revival of church building and fresco and icon painting, still in the Byzantine style but now with a more local and rustic character. Examples of the work of this period are at the Church of Ayios Mamas , Louvaras (1465), Stavros Church, Patanistasa (1466) and Soteros Church Palehori (1466). Saints like St. George and Ayios Mamas riding his lion – protectors of the faithful – were understandably very popular subjects at this uncertain time and the representations of Ayios Mamas on the lion are peculiar to Cyprus . Also at this period a substantial amount of painting which merged the Byzantine and Italian styles was done and the Latin and the Orthodox actually shared churches in some places.
The island fell to the Turks in 1570; wall painting in the churches came almost to an end and illustration of the Orthodox faith came to rest entirely on the icons. Some significant work was done but most examples surviving from this unhappy period only show the decline of the Byzantine tradition. It was a glorious thousand years of art and culture in the Byzantine world. As can be seen, Cyprus followed closely the trends of the capital in religion and its art and today it is in this tiny former province of Byzantine Empire that many of most precious surviving relics of Byzantine art are to be found.

 
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