Byzantine Mosaic Art Tradition

Timeline

1. 500–600Hagia Sophia, Constantinople · ConstantinopleBuildings such as Hagia Sophia and San Vitale were decorated with large-scale gold-ground mosaics on their domes and half-domes, establishing the classic Byzantine mosaic paradigm in theological narrative, effects of light and color, and spatial vision, influencing imperial art for centuries.
2. 1161–1170Constantinople and churches of Asia Minor · ConstantinopleDespite repeated earthquakes and fires in the mid-twelfth century, Manuel I continued to sponsor new and restored churches; mosaic workshops in the capital and in Nicaea, Nicomedia, and elsewhere continued to produce icons and decorative bands, with a style trending toward the more linear and humanized Komnenian aesthetic.