Religion through the art of early Christianity and Byzantium

Kršćanstvo započinje svoju povijest kao zabranjena religija i, iako će kasnije postati moćna pa i vodeća sila, tada se kršćani skrivaju od progona u katakombama – kršćanskim grobnicama pod zemljom. Služili su se simbolima, koje su mogli čitati samo upućeni, kako bi izbjegli rimsku vojsku. Nakon dugih progona, Car Konstantin prvo priznaje kršćansku religiju, a kasnije ju i proglašava glavnom državnom religijom. Veliki broj vjernika zahtjeva veći prostor crkve, kao i pomoćne prostorije. Unutarnji prostor u ovom razdoblju ukrašava se slaganjem komadića obojanog stakla ili kamena - mozaikom – koji postaje karakterističan za razdoblje ranokršćanske umjetnosti koja traje od 2. do 6. stoljeća, a nastaviti će se i u razdoblju koje slijedi, ali mnogo raskošnije. Bizantska umjetnost traje od 6. do. 16. stoljeća; započinje sa tzv. ranobizantskom umjetnosti koje obilježava vladavina Justinijana i stvaranje čuvenog Konstantinopola, današnjeg Istanbula, koji postaje prijestolnica umjetnosti, uz Ravennu. Utjecaj religije na sve segmente umjetnosti sve je veći, a to najbolje govori raskošni ikonografski program koji je u potpunosti prekrivao prostor crkve. Takav potpuno plansko dekoriranje vjerničkog prostora nastaviti će se i u idućim razdobljima umjetnosti uz izmjene koje dolaze s promjenom stila.Christianity begins its history as a forbidden religion and, although it will later become a powerful and even a leading force, then Christians hide from persecution in the catacombs - Christian tombs underground. They used symbols, which could only be read by those familiar with the matter, in order to avoid the Roman army. After long persecutions, Emperor Constantine first recognized the Christian religion, and later proclaimed it the main state religion. A larger number of believers require more space in the church, as well as auxiliary rooms. The interior of this period is decorated by stacking pieces of stained glass or stone - mosaic - which becomes characteristic of the period of early Christian art lasting from the 2nd to the 6th century, and will continue in the period that follows, but much more lavishly. Byzantine art lasts from 6 to. 16th century; it starts with the so-called early Byzantine art marked by the reign of Justinian and the creation of the famous Constantinople, present-day Istanbul, which became the capital of art, along with Ravenna. The influence of religion on all segments of art is growing, and this is best illustrated by the lavish iconographic program that completely covered the space of the church. Such a completely planned decoration of the religious space will continue in the following periods of art with the changes that come with the change of style