Parting of Lot and Abraham, Mosaic in the Nave Arcade, Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we [be] brethren. [Is] not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me… Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom (Genesis 13).
This scene is shown on the mosaic of unknown artist Parting Lots and Abraham, which is situated in the nave arcade of Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome, dated 432-440 AD. In art history this period is called Early Christian. At the beginning of the fourth century Constantine, the Great decided the Christianity would be the state religion of the Roman Empire.
The arrival of Christianity brought great changes to the Roman Empire. These changes effected the Romans lifestyle, belief, and certainly, their art (Overview).
This meant the end of the traditional Greco-Roman style and introduction of the completely new kind of Christian art, which first adapted earlier style for the purposes of Christianity, and then gradually changed it. The legalization of Christianity put and end to persecution of Christians and led to constructing of new churches, and these new churches were decorated by different means of art, one of which was mosaics, and so began the great mosaic tradition of Christian art. The Parting of Lot and Abraham mosaic is famous for being one of the few works, which reflect the process of changes from Greco-Roman style to the art of Christianity. It has the features of both.
The Essay on Rome The Roman Christianity Military Romans
The most influential event in history is the fall of Rome, more specifically was the introduction of Christianity. The Roman people's values changed from being conquer all and take over the world to bring peace and prosperity to the world without violence. Since everyone was following Christianity and it said to turn the other cheek if someone hits you in the face, no one wanted to fight for the ...
In comparison with Greco-Roman, the style is becoming more abstract, and the artist tries to emphasize not illusion of realism, motion and depth, but rather symbolic meaning. So, this work of art is one of the first evidences of appearing new artistic element, called symbolism, when images serve to identify belief, faith and moral rather than emotion. The artists goal were not to emphasize on an illusion of depth, but rather to focus on a new artistic element called symbolism (Overview).
Parting of Lot and Abraham represents the art of glass mosaic. It is one of the 36 Old Testament mosaics in Santa Maria Maggiore church, a panel approximately 4’11” x 6’8″ (1.2 x 2 m), which is made of small cubed tesserae of glass paste. The background is made of preliminary blue and gold tesserae.
The use of gold backgrounds heightens the effect of otherworldness and transcendence. (Columbia Encyclopedia) The mosaic tells the visual story of the Old Testament cited above. The scene is visually divided, parted into two, showing two groups of people, who are ready to separate. They are Abraham with his people (on the left) moves towards Canaan and Lot (on the right), who moves the other way, with his daughters, leading away from Abraham towards Sodom. Their parting is emphasized by tilting of their heads. The clusters of heads behind the main characters are used to depict a crowd. As it is one of the first mosaic representing Christian symbolism, the images are simplified, figures are limited in their naturalism, and the gestures are stiff and stage like. But it still has some features, for example dark contrasting lines to indicate mass, which would disappear in a century for even flatter effect to make images more symbolic.
One more explanation of such simplified style can be the distance from a viewer (the mosaic is situated rather high), as it is easier to see simplified images from a distance. Since the moral component of art becomes more important, this mosaic is not just illustration to Bible story, but personification of Christian moral. The symbolism of this mosaic is in representation of good and evil. The two parting groups of people represent the division into good and evil. Lot was given a choice, and he chose the land for himself and took his way, which led him to Sodom.
The Essay on Surrealism Art Images Surrealists
Surrealism As World War I came to an end, the Dada movement evolved into a new movement called Surrealism. This medium of art created a palette of purity and hope though automatism and use of dreams. The Surrealists strove for simplicity and spontaneity or as some called it, automatism. They wanted to answer the question "how shall I be free" and to express thought without any tainted ...
Bibliography:
Art History lecture notes at http://www.public.iastate.edu/, seen 05.11.2004 Early Christian Art and Architecture.
The Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, at http://www.bartleby.com Old Testament. Genesis 13, at http://www.biblestudents.com/htdbv5/htdb0001.htm, seen 04.11.2004 Overview. Fortune City at http://members.fortunecity.com/, seen 04.11.2004.
