Halo | History, Art, & Facts

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[{"p":1,"t":252953},{"p":10,"t":497416},{"p":1,"t":380873},{"p":1,"t":87136},{"p":1,"t":497788},{"p":1,"t":36552},{"p":1,"t":110261},{"p":12,"t":438588},{"p":2,"t":237258},{"p":1,"t":2080464}], "sequence": 1, "topics": {} }); </script> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content " data-topic-id="252953"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/halo-art">halo</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/halo-art/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/halo-art">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/halo-art/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/100237-050-347F028F/Justinian-I-mosaic-Basilica-of-San-Vitale.jpg" data-href="/media/1/252953/231826" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/100237-004-B5CB2808/Justinian-I-mosaic-Basilica-of-San-Vitale.jpg" alt="Justinian I" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/198344-050-475D3950/Miracle-of-the-Loaves-and-Fishes-canvas.jpg" data-href="/media/1/252953/231827" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/198344-004-15252677/Miracle-of-the-Loaves-and-Fishes-canvas.jpg" alt="Tintoretto: The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/what-is-the-most-widely-practiced-religion-in-the-world"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/89/216789-131-9AE01BAA/Candles-burning-church-table.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Candles Burning On Table In Church" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a 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A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/the-seven-sacraments-of-the-roman-catholic-church" >The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/roman-catholic-saints-hallowed-from-the-other-side"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/11/172611-131-A0A6AB17/St-Agnes-lamb.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Agnes with a lamb near her feet. 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11080b.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Catholic Encyclopedia - Nimbus</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: nimbus</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/halo-art/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also called: </dt> <dd>nimbus</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/religious-symbolism" topicid="497416">religious symbolism and iconography</a></dd> <dd><a href="/art/motif" topicid="394046">motif</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/halo-art"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref2619"></span>halo</strong>, in art, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="radiant" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/radiant" data-type="EB">radiant</a> circle or disk surrounding the head of a holy person, a representation of spiritual character through the symbolism of light. In <span id="ref2620"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Hellenistic-Age" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hellenistic</a> and <span id="ref2621"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Roman</a> art the sun-god <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Helios-Greek-god" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Helios</a> and Roman emperors often appear with a crown of rays. Because of its pagan origin, the form was avoided in Early <span id="ref2622"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Christian</a> art, but a simple circular nimbus was adopted by Christian emperors for their official portraits. From the middle of the 4th century, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jesus" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Christ</a> was also shown with this imperial attribute, as was his <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/symbol" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">symbol</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Agnus-Dei-liturgical-chant" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lamb of God</a>, from the end of the 4th century. In the 5th century it was sometimes given to angels, but it was not until the 6th century that the halo became customary for the Virgin <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-mother-of-Jesus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mary</a> and other saints. For a period during the 5th century, living persons of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="eminence" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/eminence" data-type="EB">eminence</a> were depicted with a square nimbus.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="231827" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/198344-050-475D3950/Miracle-of-the-Loaves-and-Fishes-canvas.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/252953/231827"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/198344-050-475D3950/Miracle-of-the-Loaves-and-Fishes-canvas.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/198344-050-475D3950/Miracle-of-the-Loaves-and-Fishes-canvas.jpg?w=300" alt="Tintoretto: The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes" data-width="1600" data-height="593" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/198344-050-475D3950/Miracle-of-the-Loaves-and-Fishes-canvas.jpg" data-href="/media/1/252953/231827">Tintoretto: <em>The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes</em></a><span><em>The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes</em>, oil on canvas by Tintoretto, c. 1545–50; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The halo was used regularly in representations of Christ, the angels, and the saints throughout the Middle Ages. Often Christ’s halo is quartered by the lines of a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/cross-religious-symbol" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">cross</a> or inscribed with three bands, interpreted to signify his position in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Trinity-Christianity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Trinity</a>. From the 15th century, however, with the growth of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/naturalism-art" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">naturalism</a> in <span id="ref2623"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Renaissance-art" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Renaissance art</a>, the nimbus created problems in representation. At first it was treated by some Florentine artists as a solid object seen in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/perspective-art" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">perspective</a>, a disk fixed to the back of a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/saint" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">saint’s</a> head. The inadequacy of this solution led to its decline in Italian art in the 16th century and to its abandonment by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michelangelo" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Michelangelo</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Titian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Titian</a>. In Flemish painting of the 15th century, it began to be represented as rays of light; under the influence of the <span id="ref2624"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Counter-Reformation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Counter-Reformation</a>, which sought to restore a glorious <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="conception" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conception" data-type="MW">conception</a> to religious art, this form was adopted by Italian artists of the late 16th century, notably <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tintoretto" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tintoretto</a>, as a realistically rendered light emanating from the holy person’s head. This new interpretation was the standard one in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Baroque-art-and-architecture" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Baroque period</a> and in most subsequent religious works.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The halo is also found in <span id="ref2625"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Buddhist</a> art of India, appearing from the late 3rd century <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>. It is believed that the motif was brought to the East by Greek invaders. (<em>See also</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/mandorla" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mandorla</a>.)</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature font-12">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Alicja-Zelazko/9823860">Alicja Zelazko</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":252953,"pageLength":365,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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