Early Medieval

Okay...I know. I know this has absolutely nothing to do with Medieval art, but honestly after looking at pictures of stained glass and Virgin Mary's for hours...I just kind of gave up on finding something to write about for the Medieval art time period. Maybe it's because this time period is not very interesting to me, and maybe it's because I am completely burned out and ready to graduate next week and the last day of class is tomorrow (tomorrow!). Either way, I wanted to include this photo because although it has absolutely nothing to do with Medieval art, it makes me happy and gets me excited for life after finals and papers and group projects. Yay!

Islam

This particular work for Islam is taken out of their sacred book, the Koran. Women are mentioned often in the Koran, and below are just a few passages that mention women:

"Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them." -Chapter 4, Verse 34

"And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them in kindness, and men are a degree above them." -Chapter 2, Verse 227

"They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah hath enjoined upon you. Truly Allah loveth those who turn to Him, and loveth those who have care for cleanness." -Chapter 4, Verse 222

"O Prophet! Tell they wives and they daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed." -Chapter 33, Verse 59

These verses in regards to women depict the beliefs of Islam at the time regarding the conduct of women and relations between a man and a women. These versus can also perhaps be reflections on the beliefs of certain cultures in Islam today.

As I was doing research and reading for this particular subject, I found a lot of anti-Muslim literature in which the Koran was scrutinized and made out to be extremely unjust and sexist. While after reading the above versus that accusation seems to be true, it is important to remember that often the context in a certain verse can often be misinterpreted. I feel like I am more empathetic towards believers of the Koran because of my own experience with my personal religious beliefs and dealing with the anti-Mormon literature that goes along with being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

While I do not agree that women are below men in any way, that a woman's menstrual cycle is an "illness" and men should keep away during that time of the month, or that women should constantly veil themselves in public, I am trying to give the Koran the benefit of the doubt and would like to think that those versus were intended for the overall protection and safety of women, not for their restriction or belittlement in society.

Byzantine

Around 530 CE, Justinian was crowned emperor of the Byzantine empire. His wife Theodora was by his side and crowned augusta, or empress, of the empire. Many argue that she was the most influential and powerful woman of the Byzantine era. In fact, Theodora has her own mosaic housed in the San Vitale, an octagonal-shaped church in Italy that was dedicated the year that Justinian became emperor. San Vitale is known for its amazing mosaics, and Theodora's is no exception. Her mosaic, entitled Empress Theodora and Retinue, is located in the apse of the church, opposite Justinian's. She is pictured with her attendants and holds a chalice, which accompanies the paten (bread basket) that Justinian is holding in his mosaic. The two closest women next to her have detailed faces when compared to the rest of the attendants, and it is believed that they are Theodara's very closest friends. This piece of art is significant because it shows the power and influence this woman had in the Byzantine era, as well as the mixture of the church and the state. The fact that she is depicted in the apse of the church is also significant, considering many representations of women in Christianity are of the Virgin Mary, Eve, and other significant gospel figures.

Early Christian

It its beginnings, Christianity was faced with resistance and enmity. Although the religion spread quickly, Christians were persecuted relentlessly for years. Romans in particular distrusted the religion and as a result persecuted many of Christianity's followers. Romans typically were uninterested in their subjects' religious beliefs, but Christianity hit a sore spot with Rome because Christians were unwilling to worship the pagan Roman gods, and as a result they were seen as traitors to the state. Romans also believed that Christians were atheist because they denied the existence of the Roman gods. For these reasons, it was extremely hard and even very dangerous to be a Christian in the earlier years. This is a fresco of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, and it is entitled Virgin and Child. This fresco is very significant in that it is the first known depiction of the Virgin and Child, a subject that would become a common theme in Christian art. A fresco is a wall painting done on wet plaster, and this fresco depicts Mary sitting with the baby Jesus on her lap. Next to Mary stand a figure, which some believe to be Isaiah. The figure points to baby Jesus with one hand and to a star with the other hand, and this is believed to signify the fulfillment of prophesy. In the foreground there are sheep and flowers. This painting was done in 250 CE, which was an especially turbulent time for Christians. In 250 CE an empire-wide persecution of Christians commenced under Emperor Decius of Rome. It wasn't until 312 CE that a decree was made in Milan that finally allowed the toleration of Christianity as a religion.

Rome

In Rome, as well as Greece, women were secondary to men. Women were worse off during the republican period, where they were always subordinate to the men of the household. They could not represent their interests in court or hold public positions in office. Things got a little better for women during the imperial period in Rome, after the patriarchal system of the republican period was broken down. In literature of this period, women are praised for their whit, their beauty, their knowledge, and their accomplishments.

The selected text is from the imperial age, and is entitled An Admirable Bride, written by Pliny the Younger. They are selections from a series of books known as the Letters. In this selection, Pliny writes a letter to his aunt which is full of praise about his wife and how wonderful she is. He credits his aunt for how well she raised his wife, and tells his aunt that she may as well have been his wife's father. This shows how the imperial age influenced the written word with regards to women, and gives an example of some of the things that were being written about women in this time period.

"You show us all how we should love our own family. Your brother was a fine man. You loved him as much as he loved you. You now love his daughter as if she were your own. You are not only an aunt to her but also a father."

"She is sharp and very careful. I am the only man she loves and that shows you what sort of girl she is. She also likes reading literature. She has got that from me. She has all my books which she reads. She has also learnt them by heart."

"You should see her when I am about to go to court. How worried she is! When I have finished speaking there, how pleased she is."

"This is why I am sure our happiness will grow as the days go by and last for ever. She is not in love with me as I am nor with my body. This will grow old and weak as time goes by. She loves me for what I stand for. This is just what I would expect from someone who has been educated by your hands. She has been trained in your camp and she sees only what is holy and honest."

"So each of us must fall over each other to thank you. I, because you gave her to me, and she because you gave me to her. You would think we had chosen each other."

Classical Greece

Aphrodite of Cyrene was sculpted by Praxiteles in the Classical Greek period, around 100 BCE. Praxiteles was a sculpture who dominated greek art from the fourth century, and he had great influence on artists of his day. Aphrodite of Cyrene represents the beginning of the depiction of the female human body as an object of beauty, and this sculpture was one of the first in Western art to combine the concept of sensuality with the nude female form. Sculptures of the human form during this time were influenced by the Greek concept of the canon of ideal human form or proportions, which was the belief that the perfect human body followed a special mathematical harmony, and this harmony made the human body truly beautiful. Figures of this time period were also very anatomically correct, as the Aphrodite shows. I think that this sculpture perfectly balances realism with idealism. The Aphrodite looks real, but she is also created beautifully and idealized to give a sort of real ideal.

Early Greece

Around this time period, Egypt still had some influence on Greek art, especially sculpture. Still, Greek art was also starting to display its own unique artistic concepts and designs. Pictured to the left is Peplos Kore, which was created around 530 B.C.E. Earlier kouroi had heavy Egyptian influence, with rigid postures that resembled Egyptian cult statues. They were also placed in large temples, another aspect of Egyptian statues. When this Peplos Kore was made, however, Greek art was starting to form its own niche. The figure is more rounded and a bit more relaxed, which shows a gradual development from earlier, similar statues. One significant detail is that male kouroi from this same time period were nude, while the females were clothed. Although today Peplos Kore looks white and faded, this sculpture was originally painted in vibrant colors, which added to the richness and importance of the piece.