What type of art is primarily associated with the Byzantine period?

The correct choice, fresco painting, is closely tied to the Byzantine period due to its prevalence as a significant medium for religious and decorative art during that time. In Byzantine art, frescoes were utilized extensively to adorn the interiors of churches and other significant buildings, often depicting biblical scenes, saints, and various religious iconography. The technique involves applying water-based pigments onto freshly laid wet plaster, allowing the paint to bond as the plaster dries, resulting in vibrant and durable murals.

The Byzantine period is characterized by its focus on spirituality and iconography, and fresco painting became a central method for conveying religious narratives and enhancing the sacred spaces within which these artworks were created. This form of art emphasized clarity, symbolic representation, and compositional stability, which were essential principles of Byzantine aesthetics.

Other art movements and styles mentioned, such as abstract expressionism, op art, and pointillism, emerged much later in history and do not bear any connection to the Byzantine period's cultural and artistic practices.