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Early Christian Art
Early Christian Art
Significant Dates
313 AD Edict of Milan made Christianity the
Roman Empires state religion by
Emperor Constantine the Great.
323 AD Constantine moved the capital of the
Roman Empire to the Greek town of
Byzantium (Constantinople).
476 AD Fall of Rome by the Goths;
527- 565 AD Byzantine Empire under Emperor
Justinian reached new power and
stability.
Possible reasons for absence of surviving
art before 200 AD:
1. Christians were constrained by their position
as a persecuted group thus the inability
to produce durable works of art;
2.
May be due to lack of funds for patronage
considering that early Christians were
largely from lower classes;
3.
The Old Testament restrictions against the
production of graven (an idol or fetish
carved in wood or stone) images;
4.
"Christian" art may not be immediately
recognizable as such since it was
possible that Christians purchased art
using pagan iconography, but gave it
Christian meanings.
Early Christian Art media (Visual Arts)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fresco
Mosaic
Manuscript Illumination
Sculpture
2. House Church
- Dura Europos
Early Christian art after 313 AD
1. Illuminated Manuscripts
Vienna Genesis
Rossano Gospels
Cotton Genesis
2. Mosaics
3. Sculpture and Carving
4. Metalworks
2 Types of Early Christian Architecture after
313 AD
1. Basilicas longitudinal hall
a. St. John Lateran
b. St. Mary Major
c. Old St. Peters Basilica
d. Church of the Holy Sepulchre
e. Church of the Nativity
Christian Basilica