 To what extent was the development of Christian art and architecture influenced by the

art and architecture of classical Rome?

 How was it unique?


Christianity was started during the Jewish civilization whereby the very first Christians gained fresh
beliefs, ideas, and faith. It then spread to the Greek and Roman culture. The early Christians used
motif and art to communicate and deepen their faith and attitude that they gained from the Roman
masterpieces.

Constantine became the principal patron of the religion when he became an emperor, and this is the
period when the Christian architecture shifted in classical Rome ( Milburn, 1988). Despite the fact that
the architectural styles differed from region to region, building to building, some basic features were
relatively common universally in the monumental churches that were established during the Middle
Ages, and the Roman Basilica is a prototype for that kind of building (Brenk, 1987). During the
earlier period, the Roman artists merged with the Christians create fresco art in which they painted
with water-based paint on wet plaster, such that the paint became part of the plaster. From the Roman
art, they embraced carving of the belief sculpture that comprised beautiful mosaic and adorning
marble tombs.

The early Christians borrowed much of the architectural designs from Romans. Prior to Constantine
becoming an emperor, they used domestic architecture for congregation that did not match the
requirements of Constantine’s architects ( Nasrallah, 2010). The Christian art and architectural
development over time has significantly impacted the classical Rome’s architecture and art. Despite
Christians adapting to the Roman’s amazing craftsmanship mediums, this did not change their faith
and beliefs to worshipping numerous Romanian gods or adopted any of their social ideas.

The Christian churches wanted to be visually meaningful and required a large interior spaces that
could accommodate the growing congregations and distinct between the faithful and the unfaithful.
Their art signified to certain beliefs, impression, or certain biblical exercises ( Jensen, 2013). For
instance, some arts were used to teach observers whereas other others were adopted to prepare the
believers or make them deeply devoted to their faith. The enormous rationalization of the
establishment of Christian churches is shows proof of the basic roles that were executed through the
help of the Greco-Roman civilization

The Christian art was unique as they established their own iconography and never glorified any
person instead only what was in written in the bible ( Homan, 2017). It was also unique as most of the
church building can last longer and depict a source of reference to most Christian churches today.
Reference

Brenk, B. (1987). Art and Propaganda fide: Christian art and architecture, 300-600. Theological studies, 48, 45-
69.

Homan, R. (2017). The Art of the Sublime: Principles of Christian Art and Architecture. Routledge.

Jensen, R. M. (2013). Understanding early Christian art. Routledge.

Milburn, R. (1988). Early Christian art and architecture. Univ of California Press.

Nasrallah, L. S. (2010). Christian responses to Roman art and architecture: the second-century church amid
the spaces of empire. Cambridge University Press.