Thoughts on Ktisis

Some thoughts on Ktisis in late roman mosaics 

The earliest Ktisis found and dated so far comes from Antioch a city that is prone to earthquakes and geologists think from the 350s to the 550s there were an increased frequency of quakes. 

Ktisis doesny seem to be a Platonist Stoic or Christian concept yet suddenly for 2 centuries we see figures of women of high rank in public buildings or the public reception areas of large homes. 

The Villa Constantius the House of the 4 seasons in a church in a rebuilt Greek colony in Libya another site in Cyrenica and the House of Eustolis in Kourion on Cyprus all then parts of thr Eastern Empire and all in areas effected by eathquakes with particularly several quakes in 363 365 536 551.

I am thinking what we are seeing is an expression of Imperial Ideology in response to physical diasters ? 

Yes there is no textual evidence but I can see this being a way of saying WE WILL BUILD and renew and make things beautiful again. 

I will not be surprised if more Ltisis mosaics turn up limited to this time period perhaps hopefully with nearby dedications or inscriptions. 

Why Ktisis as a woman? 

Perhaps the idea was suggested by one of those many Byzantine princesses or Empresses who commissioned or repaired building and the inclusion in designs was a sign of an unrecorded political faction?

Yes its speculation but ...

Ill type up more details into a fuller article soon.

A Ktisis Medley

 A KTISIS MEDLEY

#ktisis #medley #images #hellenisticart 

KTISIS continues to fascinate me. 

She seems to be a Stoic concept however most of the images found so far were uncovered literally if they were floor mosaics from houses in Asia Minor and in "Late Antiquity" just over a period of a couple of centuries.

Was there some kind of local revival of Stoicism?

Greek Stoicism not Roman as the Ktisis image often appears as a set along with other personifications of Ideas and Virtues. And the style is very Hellenic. 

Anyway here is a medley of every image I have been happen to find online excepting a few of very poor quality.

Some day I will find the missing pieces of data I need and do a full length article or mini ebook 

If anyone knows of any frescoes of her let me know ?

The ruler may symbol the concept of a Canon a building guide or the idea of Ktisis as being building as the foundation of civilisation and creation ?

 

KTISIS

#Ktisis #creation #hellenisticart #mosaic #greekart

KTISIS as a word and idea is an excellent example of semantic change.

It seems to have originally been used to refer to the foundation and building of colonies but then to refer both the larger settled built up urban world and to to the idea of the world as a created thing both by Stoics and Christians. 

The artists who used Ktisis as a theme seem to have made a point of being extra careful with the lettering and always portrayed Ktisis as an aristocrat or queen. 

In this final image Ktisis is shown contemplating a measuring instrument and the artists has been less careful with the lettering but the breaking up of the word emphasizes accidentally or intentionally the tilt of her head and her facial expression.

More on the History of Halos From Sun God to Saviour.

I've show you on a previous post images that suggest rayed halos derive from Hellenistic art. There is one depiction of Apollo in a Roman mosaic from North Africa that is similar though to the cross halo found in later Byzantine art.

Note there are seven rays within a flat circle.
 I suspect the use by romans of circles to outline images within mosaics may have contributed to the development of halos.

Now some Byzantine mosaics show Christ with a halo with 3 rays but these date to several centuries later so it is possible they are an independent development?

Here's one of them from the Hagia Sophia :

So rayed halos worn by Hellenistic Sun gods and Kings ! (See prior post)

But how direct was the influence on Christian and Byzantine art?

The earliest depictions of Christ usually use the Good Shepherd image but there is this Roman wall painting ...

Its as much a circle as a halo and may have been used more to emphasize that this figure is Christ?

Finally a classic 4th century Byzantine mosaic :

By the way this one was "restored" in the 19th century so possibly the  colors have been altered.

My point is Christian halos differ from Pagan solar halos and while those artists probably saw pagan sun god images the earliest halos was more usually flat.

Those rayed halos you see in Rocco and Baroque devotional art?

A much later borrowing!

There is a continuum from pagan to byzantine art but its one of continuous development inspired by classical ideas to create new forms.

The Pella Mosaics

The Pella Mosaics

found in Macedonia are a valuable reminder that while the best known ancient mosaics are from the ROMAN era the technique developed elsewhere.

The earliest known use of tiles of clay stone or glass come from Mesopotamia and while the Greeks seem to have preferred frescoes they were also notable mosaic workers .

This image is of a legendary griffin attacking a deer a motif probably taken from Central Asian art via Persia. But notice the Greek touches the delicate shading and the tonal contrasts between the background and foreground.

Beautiful?