Sculpture.— One of the immediate effects of Christianity was a distaste on the part of Christians for monumental figure sculpture, which to their minds was associated with the rites of pagan worship. This dislike was also shared by the all-conquering Arabs, who read in the preachings of Mohammed a prohibition of anything appertaining to idol-worship, a fact which no doubt had its influence on the Byzantines who were in constant touch with the Mohammedans. At this time, also, the gen eral trend of opinion as to artistic decoration in the Near East was in favor of elaborate pat tern as opposed to a naturalistic treatment of forms, and Byzantine art, being partly Eastern in spirit, shared to a certain extent the common preference. As the nude was not studied in classic times such few figures as were carved soon lost their close relation to life. Figure sculpture became a dependent of architecture and was chiefly concerned with the depicting of members of the Imperial family, high offi cials or famous characters from sacred story. Delicate gradations of relief were avoided, and carvings were largely confined to two planes so that a strong effect of light and shade, without halftones, should be obtained, and the effect of strong pattern produced. Some of the most beautiful Byzantine sculp tures are on the capitals of columns and on the pulpits, or ambones, in the churches. Here we
find the most delicate patterns of natural forms, plants, birds and animals, and also entwined scroll-work and geometrical designs. Among the most famous of the carvings are those in ivory, the diptyches, ikons, caskets, book covers and tablets, many of which were originally colored and gilded. The goldsmith's work, tapestry, weaving and the art of enameling also attained great beauty, and served to keep the Eastern tradition alive in Europe.
Bibliography.— Browne, 'Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture) (New York 1912) ; Errard and Gayet, (L'Art byzantin) (Pans 1901) ; Dalton, (Byzantine Art and (Oxford 1911) ; Garrucci, (Storia dell' arte cnstiana) (Prato 1879-99) ; Kondakoff, (Histoire de l'art byzantin dans les miniatures) (Paris 1891) ; Labarte, (Histoire des arts in dustriels) (Paris 1873). Consult also Brock haus, (Die Kunst in den Athos-Klostern) (Leipzig 1891) • Choisy, (L'Art de batir chez les Byzantins) (Paris 1883) • Texier and Pul Ian, (Byzantine Architecture) (London 1884) ; (Monuments de l'art byzantin) (Paris 1900 et seq.) • also Essenwein, (Byzantinische Bau kunst') (Darmstadt 1886) • and Kraus, der christlichen kunst) (Vol. I, Freiburg 1896).