Byzantine architects considered frescoes to be an integral part of the decoration and iconography of public civic buildings. Frescoes were often used to convey religious and political messages and to glorify the emperor and the imperial family.
In Byzantine public buildings, frescoes were typically painted on the walls, domes, and ceilings of the building's interior. The scenes depicted in the frescoes were carefully chosen based on their significance and symbolism. For example, in churches, frescoes often depicted scenes from the life of Christ or the story of the Church. In government buildings, frescoes often depicted the emperor or important events in the history of the empire.
The colors used in Byzantine frescoes were bright and vibrant, and the figures depicted were often shown in a stylized and abstract way. This was partly due to the Byzantine artistic tradition, which emphasized symbolic representation over realism.
Overall, Byzantine architects approached the use of frescoes in public civic buildings as a way to enhance the building's beauty and to convey important religious and political messages to the public.
Publication date: