Deck 8: Jewish, Early Christian, and Byzantine Art

Question 1

In the mosaic, Emperor Justinian and His Attendants, what is Justinian demonstrating?

A) He is the head of the church
B) He is the head of the Byzantine Empire
C) He is the head of the Western Empire
D) All of the above are true

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What is NOT seen on the side of the Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus?

A) Bas relief sculpture
B) Old Testament scenes
C) New Testament scenes
D) Scenes from the life of Junius Bassus

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which is one of the most impressive Christian structures to have survived from the period of early Christianity?

A) Santa Maria Maggiore
B) Old St. Peter's
C) Dura-Europos Synagogue
D) The Pantheon

Answer 3

A

Question 4

What type of church was most commonly constructed in the Byzantine Empire?

A) The Basilica-plan
B) One with a dome and a vertical focus
C) One with a long rectangular nave and side aisles
D) One based on the plan of Old St. Peter's

Question 5

Which discovery has forced scholars to revise their estimation of the quantity and quality of Jewish art?

A) Dura-Europos
B) Ravenna
C) Old St. Peter's
D) Byzantium

Question 6

The Byzantine icon from Ohrid is distinct from others discussed in this chapter because it depicts a narrative event

Question 7

The term pagan is another word for believers in early Christian traditions.

Question 8

What is an entrance foyer in an Early Christian church called?

A) groin vault
B) basilica
C) clerestory
D) narthex

Question 9

What is the origin of the word "Bible"?

A) the Greek word for "books"
B) the Latin word or "drink"
C) the Italian word for "word"
D) the Hebrew work for "God"

Question 10

Other than Constantinople, where can Byzantine art be seen?

A) Rome
B) Ravenna
C) Athens
D) Paris

Question 11

The earliest surviving Christian art can be dated to within the lifetime of Christ.

Question 12

Which is true of the mosaics found in the Hammath Tiberias Synagogue?

A) The style of representation is reminiscent of Roman mosaic work?
B) They depict the power of the emperor over church and state
C) They were vulnerable to deterioration because they ornamented the walls
D) They are executed in a traditional Byzantine style

Question 13

Who conquered the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century?

A) Octavius
B) Theodoric
C) The Turks
D) Constantine

Question 14

Anthemius and Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus were two professionals responsible for the theory and construction behind which structure?

A) Hagia Sophia
B) San Vitale
C) Old St. Peter's
D) Hammath Tiberius Synagogue

Question 15

Most typically, how were the exterior of Early Christian churches designed?

A) Covered with mosaic decoration
B) Covered with three-dimensional sculpture
C) Had frescoes
D) They were left plain

Question 16

Under the patronage of which Roman emperor was Christianity first allowed to be worshipped openly?

A) Theodoric
B) Justinian
C) Trajan
D) Constantine

Question 17

Religious objects for personal or public veneration, generally depicting Christ, the Enthroned Madonna, or saints are known as:

A) icons
B) portraits
C) cult statues
D) tesserae

Question 18

Which is the central rite of many Christian churches?

A) The Eucharist
B) Confession
C) The Offering
D) Martyrdom

Question 19

The CHI RHO sign, a monogram of Christ, is composed of the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek.

Question 20

Which period is characterized by flat two-dimensional space often using patterns of glittering mosaics with gold backgrounds?

A) Greek
B) Byzantine
C) Egyptian
D) Roman

Question 21

Describe Early Christian sculpture. How and why did the Roman style of depicting the human form differ from that of Early Christian?

Question 22

Explain the iconoclastic controversy. Why were abstract symbols widely used?

Question 23

What classical architecture influenced the Early Christian basilica and how did it evolve?

Question 24

Why did the role of sculpture diminish during the Early Christian period? Why did sculpture become physically smaller?

Question 25

Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium in order to escape the militarily powerful Western Roman Empire.

Question 26

Compare basilica-plan with central-plan churches. Cite examples of each.