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Christian art in the early 6th century

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Timeline and Events:

315: Emperor Constantine issues the Edict of Milan324: Emperor Constantine founds Constantinople as new capital of Roman Empire337: Death of Constantine379-395: reign of Emperor Theodosius I391/394: Theodosius bans pagan worship and abolishes the Olympic Games395: Death of Theodosius; permanent division of Empire between East and West404: Visigoths invade Italy; Emperor Honorius moves capital to Ravenna410: Sack of Rome by Alaric, King of the Visigoths476: Ravenna falls to Odoacer; Death of last Roman Emperor (Romulus Augustulus); End of the Roman Empire (in the West); Odoacer becomes the first Germanic king of Italy493: Odoacer overthrown by Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths526: Death of Theodoric

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Extent of Theodoric’s rule at the end of his reign in 526

•Ravenna

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Ravenna, church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, 504

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Ravenna, church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, 504Detail of mosaic showing King Theodoric’s palace

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Ravenna, church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, 504Detail of mosaic showing King Theodoric’s palace

Below left: Missorium of Emperor Theodosius, 388

Below right: Palace of Emperor Diocletian, ca. 300

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Ravenna, church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, 504Detail of mosaic showing King Theodoric’s palace and later erasure of images of King Theodoric’s court standing in the arcades

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Miracle of the loaves and fishes, nave wall of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. Ravenna, ca. 504

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Miracle of the loaves and fishes, nave wall of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. Ravenna, ca. 504

Detail of nave mosaic showingThe Parting of Lot and AbrahamBasilica of Santa Maria Maggiore Rome, 432

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Medieval manuscripts- On parchment (lambskin) or vellum (calfskin).- Illumination: illustrations painted usually using tempera.- Pages referred to as folios. Front: recto. Reverse: verso.

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The old farmer Corycus, folio 7 verso of the Vatican Vergil, ca. 400-420. Tempera on parchment, 1’ ½” X 1’. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Rome

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Rebecca and Eliezer at the well, folio 7 recto of the Vienna Genesis, early sixth century. Tempera, gold, and silver on purple vellum, approx. 1’ 1/4”

X 9 1/4”. Austrian National Library, Vienna.

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Woman sacrificing at an altar, right leaf of the diptych of the Nicomachi and the Symmachi, ca. 400. Ivory, 11 3/4” X 5 1/2”.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

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Suicide of Judas and Crucifixion of Christ, plaque from a box, ca. 420. Ivory, 3” X 4”. British Museum, London.

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Mausoleum of Theodoric, Ravenna, 526

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JpcR3kblv0