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In the 320's AD the Emperor Constantine moved the capital of his Empire from Rome to Byzantium, which was renamed Constantinople, and until its fall in 1453 remained a major artistic centre. Under successive emperors and empresses for more than a thousand years, artists, archtects and craftsmen produced superb and intriguing works ranging fom the grandest public buildings to the smallest and most personal items. Today this art is generally termed early Christian and Byzantine. Working from the surviving material this work explains how and why early Christian and Byzantine art was made and used. The reader is taken on a journey of discovery as the ideas this art sought to express are considered.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
A good survey book on 12 centuries of Byzantine art
24 Oct 2001
Format:Paperback
Like another reviewer, I also had this book for a course on Byzantine art. For the most part, Lowden's book is a "survey" in the fullest sense of the word: on average, he only spends a paragraph or two on a particular monument, focusing primarily on style and iconography for icon panels, mosaics, architecture, and "minor arts" (always a dilemma when writing a survey book--quantity of material versus level of depth in one's discussion). He also follows the traditional chronological framework of discussing Early Christian/Byzantine art: from the catacombs and the reign of Constantine, to the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.
Having said this, Lowden's book stands out among other surveys for many reasons. Although too numerous for the length of this review, among such strengths are his extensive discussions of Byzantine manuscripts (Lowden's area of scholarly interest), including a chapter on production and reception. He also devotes some attention to the factors surrounding the rise of Iconoclasm, and subsequent artistic production after the iconophiles had "triumphed" over this era of the destruction of figural imagery.
Although a handful of other Byzantine art surveys have been published since Lowden's book (some good, some bad), I feel that this ranks within a small, high-quality group of studies on Byzantine art.
Having said this, Lowden's book stands out among other surveys for many reasons. Although too numerous for the length of this review, among such strengths are his extensive discussions of Byzantine manuscripts (Lowden's area of scholarly interest), including a chapter on production and reception. He also devotes some attention to the factors surrounding the rise of Iconoclasm, and subsequent artistic production after the iconophiles had "triumphed" over this era of the destruction of figural imagery.
Although a handful of other Byzantine art surveys have been published since Lowden's book (some good, some bad), I feel that this ranks within a small, high-quality group of studies on Byzantine art.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Art Without Ideas?
17 Mar 1998
Format:Paperback
This is a frustrating book. Graphically, with its numerous vivid, full-color photographs, it is quite striking. Textually, though not poorly written, per se, it is bland. Furthermore, though Lowden (mercifully) dispenses with jargon, he does pay lip service to one of the most recent academic trends in art history: reception theory. I really wish he wouldn't have. Even though surveys are seldom ground-breaking, Lowden's ideas particularly strike me as ones that are not his own. The only area of Byzantine art about which he does seem to know more than most - illuminated manuscripts - gets more coverage than it probably deserves. Then again, Lowden is described as an illuminated manuscript expert on the dust jacket of the book, so perhaps his indulgence is understandable. In short, David Talbot Rice's "Art of the Byzantine Era" still stands in my mind as a better-written and more enduring short survey of Byzantine and early Christian art. Lowden's work is much better graphically, but he lacks Rice's flair and ability to express his enthusiasm for his subject.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
helpful for the fledgling byzantine scholar
1 Aug 2000
Format:Paperback
This book was one of my textbooks for a Byzantine art class in college. The pictures are beautifully reproduced and well-presented and the typeface is bold and easy on myopic eyes. The text may seem a bit bland to the well-educated byzantine scholar, but it was a great book for becoming acquainted with one of the richest periods in the history of art. Concisely written, Lowden's book provides the insight and joyful curiosity of an engaged scholar who obviously enjoyed writing the book. That said, I highly recommend this book.
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