EARLY CHRISTIAN / BYZANTINE ART LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Shift From ‘Realism’ to ‘Religion’ After the Fall of the Western (Roman Empire), the style of art changed dramatically. Creating ideals and proportions took a backseat to teaching the narratives and symbolism of Christianity. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Shift From ‘Realism’ to ‘Religion’ After the Fall of the Western (Roman Empire), the style of art changed dramatically. Creating ideals and proportions took a backseat to teaching the narratives and symbolism of Christianity. The Parts of the Christian Churches The terminology of the churches is used throughout the AP Test. Know all of the terms associated with this presentation. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Shift From ‘Realism’ to ‘Religion’ After the Fall of the Western (Roman Empire), the style of art changed dramatically. Creating ideals and proportions took a backseat to teaching the narratives and symbolism of Christianity. The Parts of the Christian Churches The terminology of the churches is used throughout the AP Test. Know all of the terms associated with this presentation. Central Plan vs. Basilica Plan Originally, there were two basic types of Christian Church plans. Knowing these plans (and why they were designed as such) should aid you in learning how the needs of Christianity affected these layouts. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian 330 - Constantine moved his capital to Byzantium and renamed it CONSTANTINOPLE. Most pieces of Jewish Art were destroyed, and the Jewish people often faced special taxes, restrictions and even persecution. 395 - The Roman Empire split permanently by Emperor Theodosius I into two parts: The WESTERN EMPIRE (Roman) The EASTERN EMPIRE (Byzantine) 410 - Rome is sacked by the Visigoths. 476 - Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman emperor, is deposed by the German Odoacer. 527 - Justinian becomes Eastern Roman emperor. Constantinople covers eight square miles (Manhattan covers twenty-two square miles) with at least 500,000 inhabitants. 53237 - Justinian builds the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. 726 - Byzantine Emperor Leo III orders all icons in the Byzantine Empire destroyed. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Map showing collapse of Western Empire and Justinian’s reign LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian ROMAN SARCOPHAGUS Figures are references to Mythology or Government EARLY CHRISTIAN Stories and references to Christ LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Synagogue Floor, from Maon, Jerusalem. c 530. Jewish synagogues contained almost no representational sculpture because Jewish law forbade praying to images or idols. Decorative paintings and mosaics were displayed on walls to denote religious concepts. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Throughout Art History, The Life of Jesus Christ is broken down into three major categories: INCARNATION The events surrounding Christ’s conception, birth, infancy and childhood. MINISTRY Keys events include the calling of the twelve apostles, performing miracles and giving sermons. PASSION The events which include Christ’s arrest, trial, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Old St. Peter’s in Rome, completed by Constantine I around 324 AD. EARLY CHRISTIAN LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The term ‘Early Christian’ refers to the preserved works of the first five centuries CE. For the first THREE centuries after Christ’s death, Roman authorities banned Christianity and often persecuted Christians. During this period, Christians concealed their religious practices by digging tunnels outside of Rome. Known as catacombs, these tunnels were underground passageways where early Christians could worship and bury their dead. The catacombs extended up to 90 miles and as deep as five levels. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome, ca 320-340 CE. EARLY CHRISTIAN The Catacombs of Priscilla in Rome are an eight-mile network of tunnels on several levels dug out of soft volcanic tufa, and were used for Christian burials from 2nd to 5th century CE. It has just recently been re-opened after five years of conservation. Restorers used laser technology to clean the wall paintings, a highly significant collection of early Christian iconography that includes the earliest known depiction of the Madonna and Child dating to around 230 CE. It’s known as the “Queen of the Catacombs” because of the art work and because so many martyrs and popes were buried there. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Greek Chapel, Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome, ca 320-340 CE. EARLY CHRISTIAN Seen here is the so-called Capella Greca, or Greek Chapel, one of the earliest parts of the Catacomb of Priscilla. This vaulted and benched area is noteworthy for its numerous preserved wall paintings, and is located within the area of the cryptoporticus. A cryptoportico is a semi- subterranean gallery whose vaulting supports portico structures above ground and which is lit from openings at the tops of its arches. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Good Shepherd Fresco, Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome, ca 320-340 CE. EARLY CHRISTIAN Roman Christians sometimes decorated their catacomb walls with frescoes depicting the life and teachings of Jesus. The Catacomb of Priscilla contains a particularly revealing fresco that may date to the 4th century. Here, Christ is depicted as a Good Shepherd, which refers to a passage from the Gospel of John in which Christ said, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Good Shepherd Fresco, Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome, ca 320-340 CE. EARLY CHRISTIAN Christ’s physical form is based on Greco-Roman models. He is youthful, clean shaven and clothed in a modest classical tunic. Christ even stands in a classical contrapposto pose and physically resembles a young Apollo. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian The Orant Fresco, Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome, ca 320-340 CE. EARLY CHRISTIAN In the fresco depicting the three stages of a woman, the most prominent stage is of the woman with her arms raised in the position of the Orant. The Orant is a pagan symbol for the soul; in the Christian context it symbolizes the soul achieving oneness through God and internal glory after death. The prominence of this symbol and its central location indicates the importance of the afterlife and faith in god. Fresco in both the old and newly restored versions LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Like their pagan contemporaries, wealthy Christians preferred to be buried in marble sarcophagi. The richly carved Sarcophagus of Junius Bassius was made for an important Roman official who converted to Christianity before his death in 359. This tends to be an important piece as it combines Christian themes Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c 359. with Classical architectural EARLY CHRISTIAN and figural elements. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late AntiquitySarcophagus / Early Christian of Junius Bassus, c 359. EARLY CHRISTIAN Two registers, 10 panels of OLD and NEW Testament scenes… Christ is depicted in center with Roman themes. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Sarcophagus with philosopher, Rome, Italy, ca 270. EARLY CHRISTIAN Jesus is represented by two figures on the right, This is Jesus as a child receiving a baptism in the River the small child being baptized and the Shepherd Jordan even though he was baptized at age thirty. to his left. Baptism was significant in the early centuries of The future ministry of Jesus is represented by Christianity because so many adults were converted to the turned head of the young boy to the the new faith in this manner. Shepherd and by the placement of his hand on one of the sheep. LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN Late Antiquity / Early Christian Ivory Carving Suicide of Judas and Crucifixion of Christ, plaque from a casket, ivory, ca 420 CE. The narrative on the box begins with Pilate washing his hands, Jesus carrying the cross on the road to Calvary, and the denial of Peter, all compressed into a single panel. The plaque that is illustrated here is the next in the sequence and shows, at the left, Judas hanging from a tree with his open bag of silver dumped on the ground beneath his feet. the Crucifixion is at the right. The Virgin Mary and Joseph are to the left of the cross. On the other side Longinus thrusts his spear into the side of the "King of the Jews." The two remaining panels show two Marys and two soldiers at the open doors of a tomb with an empty coffin and the doubting Thomas touching the wound of the risen Christ. The contrast of Jesus whose body remains strong on the cross The figure of Christ does not appear to be in pain contrasts with the body of his betrayer, Judas, hanging from a because he is displayed on the cross, rather than tree with a limp body and a snapped neck. Visually and hung from it, as though he has conquered death symbolically, this image was meant to show Jesus as a strong and does not suffer. leader and not prone to pain or complete