Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 2).djvu/402

 not typical of earlier efforts. In the time of Justinian there is no evidence that painting and sculpture in the higher sense existed at all. We know of no pictorial representations, with the exceptions of miniatures in manuscripts and mosaics on the walls of sacred edifices, while the glyptic art seems to have been almost confined to columnar capitals and carving on plates of ivory. Of the former class it can only be said that all specimens are not bad, of the latter that there is some meritorious work.

The Byzantines were great builders, and in this sphere alone are their artistic creations really worthy of considera-*