ART-03.01 Early Christian

what are the characteristics of Early Christian art?

-Christ presented as a youth (representations of Christ become more "mature" with time.) -Old Testament accounts of salvation. -Praying figures have their hands uplifted and spread widely apart (as the art historical periods progress, the hands of Christians in prayer are lowered and come closer together.) -uncomplicated communication of theme was the primary goal, setting and presentation of motion was secondary

blind arcade

A series of arches and supports carried by columns or piers that support a wall or lintel that are engaged, attached to the wall, as a decorative function.

Catacomb of Priscilla

A youthful Christ and an orant with uplifted hands, with an Old Testament account of salvation. The three young men have been hurled into the furnace by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar but do not burn for they have been saved by God.

contributions of Emperor Constantine

After Christianity became legalized, there was an immediate need for churches. he became the first major builder of them. erected basilicas and mausoleums in Rome, Constantinople, and sites sacred to Christians such as Bethlehem (birthplace of Jesus) and Jerusalem.

symbolism: book

Bible, scriptures

reign of Theodosius

By 380, Christianity had become the official state religion of Rome. The emperor also outlawed pagan worship (391) and even the Olympic games (394). He died in 395, leaving his older son Arcadius as emperor of the east and his younger son Honorius as emperor of the west.

lunette at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Christ as the Good Shepherd over the entrance, depicts the Savior's appearance as older and more royal (dressed in gold and purple) than earlier representations. The sheep are ordered in two groups of three (with numeric symbolism). The rocks that are used as landscape become more stylized and characteristic as Christian art progresses.

symbolism: grape

Christ's blood shed for the forgiveness of sin

symbolism: lamp

Christ; Christ's followers; martyrs

Old Saint Peter's Basilica

Constantine's greatest work. built on the Vatican Hill, just outside Rome, where the Apostle Peter was believed to be buried. Begun in 319, 368 feet long. could accommodate up to 4,000. The Roman design influence is evident: symbolically, Christians wished to distinguish themselves from other (pagan) religions. The overall rectangular shape was thematic, directing all lines and all focus to the terminating apse, the most sacred part of the church. also a practical choice: provided expanse of uninterrupted interior space. demolished section by section during the Renaissance to make way for the current basilica on the Vatican Hill.

Early Christian Mosaics

Contrary to Roman mosaics, which were limited to floors, baths or pools, painting evolved during this period because it was suitable for the smooth, flat walls of the architecture. this art provided thematic significance for artists: endurability, for as the Bible endures, so should its pictorial representations. Glittering, reflective tesserae were used to shower the interiors of structures with color and light representative of the "brightness" of the Gospel, another contrast to the dull marble preferred by the Romans

Santa Costanza

Early Christian central-plan structure originally built by Constantine as a mausoleum for his daughter Costanza. later converted into a church during 1200s. The central domed space is surrounded by a circular, barrel-vaulted ambulatory, features twelve pairs of Corinthian columns and twelve clerestory windows. The central area was covered in mosaics, but they have been lost. the ceiling vault mosaics survive

illuminated manuscripts

In the Early Christian period, they contained compositions similar to the church mosaics. no longer written on scrolls, but in codices. decorated, luxurious, and handwritten. earliest well-preserved one containing scenes from the Bible dates from the 6th century.

Christ's Passion

Jesus's brutal suffering (to redeem sinners) at the hands of the Romans. derived from the Latin verb to suffer

what does "Early Christian art" encompass?

Jewish and Christian art produced under Roman rule. This brief period served as the foundation for all of the art of the Middle Ages.

synagogue

Jewish house of worship

Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

Ravenna. commissioned palace-church of Theodoric. This three-aisled basilica features three zones of mosaics, but only the top two date from Theodoric's time. uppermost row: scenes from Christ's life between decorative displays. between clerestory windows: figures from Old Testament.

Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus

Rome. typical Early Christian fresco; the center medallion shows Jesus Christ as the good shepherd (rescuing a lamb that had gone astray, representing His role as Savior), while the lunettes contain important scenes from the Old Testament Book of Jonah. In between, orants may represent portraits of the individual family members buried here. The unified composition has Christ in the center. The prophet Jonah was also rescued by God, having been preserved from certain death at sea in the belly of a whale.

Jesus healing a paralyzed man

Substantial stylistic change: loss of any Roman illusionistic depth. depicted through flat figures lacking volume, close to the foreground with little depth. background is basically just a "gold curtain," which would soon become standard to give the composition an otherworldly feel. scene is uncomplicated and uncrowded, unlike the Biblical account, to convey intent of the work—miraculous, otherworldly powers of Christ are pertinent, not individuals details of the event.

loculi

The shelves on which the dead were placed in Early Christian catacombs

symbolism: three

Trinity (persons of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit); Apostles Peter, James and John

diptychs

Uncomplicated and highly skilled depictions of biblical scenes on codex covers and writing tablets

Odoacer

a Germanic chieftain who deposed the last Roman emperor in the west in 476. established his capital in Ravenna and reigned from there until Theodoric, the king of the Ostrogoths deposed him in 493.

baldacchino

a great four-columned canopy

atrium

a large peristyle court, taken from the open section of the Roman home plan

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

a project of the half-sister of Honorius and mother of the future emperor Valentinian III, a devout Christian and an extensive patroness of the religion. The small building was constructed in 425 and combines the basilica and central-plan church designs, with a cross-shaped structure and a central domed area. The exterior is typically plain, except for the blind arcade and entablature. The interior's lower walls are covered in gray, veined marble, while every inch of the lunettes, vaults and walls of the central dome are covered in remarkable mosaics

plan of Old Saint Peter's

a wide nave flanked by two side aisles and ending in an apse where the altar was placed. also a special aisle between the nave and the apse called the transept. Here, (alleged) relics of Saint Peter were displayed. Access to the church was through the atrium and narthex. As was common of the time, the exterior was adorned simply with brick. interior was decorated with frescoes, mosaics, and rhythmic series of alternating arches and marble columns, ironically recycled from pagan temples. These columns supported the interior walls and the upper portions contained clerestory windows. a baldacchino was placed over the tomb of Saint Peter

symbolism: Matthew

angel

central plan

another common design type used by Early Christian builders. the parts of a building radiate from a central point. Initially these were used as auxiliary structures such as baptisteries, mausoleums and private chapels. Later, in the eastern Mediterranean, it would be used on a monumental scale

icthus

another common subject in the catacombs because Early Christians used the fish as a symbol of who they were and as an acronym of their Savior: Each letter of the Greek word for fish is the first letter of a statement regarding an aspect of Christ. This symbol was not used much after the Early Christian period and is a reliable means to date Christian art to this period.

symbolism: scroll

authority (when held in a figure's hand)

symbolism: wheat

believers; Christ's body

symbolism: fire

burning bush: God; small flame: Holy Spirit

Synagogue of Dura Europos

ca. 245. Syria. converted from a private residence. Scenes from Jewish scriptures are painted around a niche, which was built for the Torah, not as an object of worship; the purpose was to teach the scriptures.

cubicula

chamber in a catacomb

putti

chubby, nude young boys

symbolism: halo (nimbus)

circle of light usually found above or around the head indicates godliness

symbolism: ewer and basin

cleansing

codex

collection of separate sheets, called folios, bound together and enclosed with a cover. The folios themselves were made of calfskin (vellum) or lambskin (parchment), which were much more durable and suitable for decoration than papyrus. Covers were often beautifully carved wood or ivory panels as well.

the Gospels

collective name for the first four books of the New Testament. The writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the Four Evangelists, and each has his own particular iconographic symbol. These common representations can be remembered with the acronym ALOE.

symbolism: six

complete perfection

color symbolism: black

death

symbolism: skull

death; mortality

color symbolism: dull yellow

decay

Samuel anointing David

detail from the Synagogue at Dura-Europos. shows prophet ceremonially declaring the man as king of Israel in the presence of his 6 older brothers. Similar to Roman Late Imperial art, the figures are stiff, expressionless, without volume and completely frontal with a noticeable lack of motion.

Melchizedek and Abraham

displays a style distinct from the Roman tradition, the complex motion has been reduced and images simplified. The earth, horizon and sky are represented simply by bands of different colors. The vast number of men in Abraham's army are represented by a cluster of heads. Motion is conveyed through exaggerated looks (w/ oversized eyes), gestures (w/ oversized hands) and poses. theme was the connection between Christ and the men. the relationship between them is shown in a very straightforward and uncomplicated way.

color symbolism: bright yellow

divinity, godliness

symbolism: two

dual nature of Christ, fully man and fully God

symbolism: John

eagle

catacombs

earliest places of Christian worship, also converted homes. vast underground networks of galleries, cubicula, and loculi, some spreading over as much as 600 acres. These subterranean cemeteries were often built on several levels as well, going as deep as 65 feet. The cubicula were usually square, but some were polygonal or circular. These chambers served as family vaults, special tombs for martyrs or mortuary chapels. The walls and ceilings were typically painted in Late Roman style with fresco decorations of Christian subjects.

symbolism: Alpha and Omega

eternity of God

symbolism: serpent

evil

symbolism: goat

evil; unrepentant sinners

symbolism: pine cone

fertility of the church

symbolism: rainbow

forgiveness

color symbolism: white

holiness, purity

color symbolism: brown

humility

number symbolism

iconographic representations. Traditionally, numbers were not included in Christian art but were represented in the amounts of "things."

symbolism: peacock

immortality

"the Ascension of Christ"

ivory diptych portrays both the Angel of the Lord announcing Christ's Resurrection and His Ascension into heaven. On the left, the tomb is highly stylized and evident of Roman mausoleum influence. Fruitful tree and birds in the upper left are also representations of the fruit that this tomb produced: Risen Christ. In front of the tomb, the Angel of the Lord is easily identified by authoritative gesture. In the upper right Jesus is grasping the hand of God (descending out of the clouds). The Savior is holding a scroll, indicating authority

symbolism: vine

life and fruitfulness from a life in Christ

color symbolism: green

life, vitality

symbolism: Mark

lion

color symbolism: red

martyrdom

symbolism: eye

omniscience and omnipresence of God

symbolism: cross

on which Christ was crucified

symbolism: Luke

ox

symbolism: olive

peace

color symbolism: purple

power, authority

orants

praying figures

symbolism: lily

purity

symbolism: eight

resurrection (the days between Christ's entry into Jerusalem and his resurrection)

symbolism: pomegranate

resurrection; church (many seeds in one fruit)

lunettes

semicircular frames

symbolism: apple

sin, unless it is in the hand of Christ where it means salvation

ambulatory Mosaic from Santa Costanza

subject is the portrait of Constantia surrounded by swirling vines, birds and putti in the act of harvesting grapes and making wine. This motif would have been familiar to recent Roman pagan converts to Christianity. In a departure, the vines and fruit represent abundance of God rather than generic symbols of fertility. The putti and geometric designs are attributed to Roman Late Imperial style.

symbolism: crown of thorns

that the Roman soldiers used to mock Christ as "king" of the Jews

symbolism: ten

the Commandments; completeness

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare

the apse has five windows in the altar, this is typical. This nave has two rows of twelve columns, arches and clerestory windows.

symbolism: twelve

the number of Apostles of Christ (New Testament) or the number of Tribes of Israel (Old Testament). also a number which symbolizes wholeness or completeness in the Bible.

iconography

the pictorial illustration of a subject and is used as a tool to study subject matter and symbolism in the visual arts. Christian art is rich in this because it was a method to teach and memorize the Biblical truths. The use of these symbols continued well beyond the Medieval period in the works of Renaissance artists

narthex

the vestibule or entrance porch/hall of a church

symbolism: five

the wounds which Christ received during the crucifixion, seen often since Christ's sacrifice is commemorated during Christian worship.

symbolism: Mandorla

this almond-shaped, radiant light indicates the glory of God and is usually seen surrounding Christ

symbolism: pillar

to which Christ was tied in order to be beaten

symbolism: hammer and nails

tools by which Christ was fixed to the crucifix

symbolism: forty

trial; testing; generation; long period of time

symbolism: palm

triumph; victory (primarily over death)

color symbolism: blue

truth

symbolism: one

unity of God

symbolism: keys

usually paired: golden one opens heaven to repentant sinners; lead locks heaven to the unrepentant

symbolism: hand

when coming from the heavens, God

symbolism: rose

white for purity; red for martyrdom

symbolism: flagellum

with which Christ was whipped