Exam 3 - Art History 1

Early Christian Art in Africa, in Rome

• Coin of King Joel

• Early Christian Africa Period

• Ethiopia

• Their coinage was based on Roman measures, so they be used in Rome and Ethiopia/ using a universal weight of measure

• Made in the 6th century during the reign of King Joel

• Obverse: head of a coin

  • shows King Joel in side profile with a crown that has a cross on his head

• Reverse: tail of a coin

  • an equal sided cross is on the back

• Wall Painting with the Martyrdom of Saints

• Early Christian Africa Period

• Egypt

• Stucco Wall Painting: painted on plaster

• Cosmas and Damian are twin brothers

  • Doctors, Christians, gave medical help without a fee

  • They were hung on a cross and stoned, shot with arrows, and then beheaded

• The tall grass represents the state of martyrdom; they have halos and are shown in prayer

• The children are Shadrak, Neshak, and Ibenego, they refused to worship the golden idol and were to be executed inside a furnace, except they were saved by their faith

• Silk Coptic Panel

• Early Christian Africa Period

• Egypt

• Silk would have been imported from China through the Silk Road

• Purple silk representing the King of Kings, Kings/ royalty, or the divine in this case

• Mirror images of emperors riding a horse over soldiers, its a victory symbol/ seen this with the Marcus Aurelius Equestrian Statue

Syncretism

• In religion or philosophy, the union of different ideas or principles

• Good Shepard, Orants, and Story of Jonah

• Early Christian Period

• Italy

• From the catacombs, where early Christian martyrs were buried

• Good Shepherd: man carrying a sheep

• There’s nothing that says it’s Jesus; it could be interpreted as Hermes or Orpheus

• Standing Contrapposto: weight on one leg

• Figures in prayer surrounding it, as well as other scenes

• Typology: a system of matching Old Testament figures and events to New Testament counterparts they were seen to prefigure

  • make parallels, connecting the past to the present

• Old Saint Peter’s Basilica

• Early Christian Period

• Italy

• Funded by Constantine

• Basilica: large rectangular building

• Spolia: reuse of elements of architecture such as columns and captials

• Cruciform: cross-shaped

• Transept: the arm of a cruciform church

• Called Saint Peter’s because it’s where St. Peter was martyred

• Marble floors, painted, had mosaics

• Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

• Early Christian Period

• Italy

• Galla Placidia was the half-sister of the ruler of the West

  • Mother of the next emperor, ruled as regent for her son

• Example of a centrally planned church

• It’s plain brick on the outside and is mirroring early Christianity where what’s on the inside is what matters

• Built in a cruciform shape: a cross shape

• Has a dome in the center of the cross shape

• matthew = angel

  • mark = winged lion

  • luke = winged ox (or calf)

  • john = eagle

• The Good Shepherd

• Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Italy

• Early Christian Period

• Jesus because of the cross he’s carrying, the halo, the gold and purple robe (imperial colors)

  • This is a more obvious depiction of Jesus

• Munich Ascension Plaque

• Early Christian Period

• Italy

• Carved out of Ivory

  • Imported from Africa or India; expensive

• Ascension, meaning it shows Jesus going back to heaven

• Centrally planned dome mausoleum in the back

• Relief Sculpture: a carving that projects from the surface

• There’s a tree of life, which is a pagan symbol