Jewish and Early Christian Art in Late Antiquity

Edict of Milan

313 CE: Roman emperors Constantine and Licinius declared religious tolerance across the empire.

Edict of Thessalonica

380 CE: Roman emperor Theodosius I proclaims Christianity the religion of the state.

Dura-Europos

Founded in 300 BCE; served as a trading post on the banks of the Euphrates River in present-day Syria.

Consecration of the Tabernacle

Artwork on the western wall of the synagogue at Dura-Europos, painted tempera, c. 245 CE.

The Figure of Aaron

Detail from the Consecration of the Tabernacle.

Vision of Ezekiel

Biblical narrative describes God speaking to the prophet Ezekiel in a valley filled with dry bones.

House-Church at Dura-Europos

Christian worship took place within house structures, featuring painted walls that were both decorative and educational.

Lunette with Good Shepherd and Adam and Eve

Allegorical image of the Good Shepherd with Adam and Eve, suggesting original sin is cleansed through Baptism.

Good Shepherd statue

Third-century CE marble sculpture of the Good Shepherd, height 19¾ in. (50.2 cm).

Fresco on cubiculum vault

Fresco in the Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, fourth century CE.

Mosaic

Art form using small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials to create images.

Mural

A large painting or artwork directly applied to a wall or ceiling.

Register

A horizontal band in a work of art that separates different scenes or elements.

Dry fresco

A technique of mural painting on dry plaster.

Vault

An architectural element that forms a ceiling or roof.

Sarcophagus

A stone coffin, often adorned with sculptures or inscriptions.

Lunette

A semicircular area or panel, often found above a door or window.

Iconography

The visual images, symbols, or modes of representation associated with a particular subject.

Christian Iconography

The visual representation of Christian themes and subjects in art.

Cosmopolitan

Characterized by a diverse range of cultures and ethnicities.

Persian Sasanian Empire

An empire that took control of Dura-Europos after it served as a Roman military outpost.

Cleansed through Baptism

The belief that original sin is removed through the Christian sacrament of baptism.

Artistic styles

Distinctive characteristics or techniques used in the creation of artworks.

Flat and schematic figures

Artistic representations that lack depth and detail, often used in early Christian art.

Common artists

Artists who worked across different religious traditions, creating similar art forms.

Fresco

A technique of mural painting on freshly laid wet plaster.

Cubiculum

A small room in a catacomb, often used for burial.

Medallion

A circular or oval decorative panel, often depicting a figure.

Basilica

A large, important church building, typically with a rectangular plan.

Apse

A semicircular recess at the end of a church, often containing an altar.

Relief

A sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background.

High Relief

A type of relief where the sculpted elements are significantly raised from the background.

Nave

The central part of a church building, intended to accommodate most of the congregation.

Narthex

An entrance or lobby area, typically located at the west end of a church.

Baldachin

A ceremonial canopy of state over an altar or throne.

Transept

The arm of a cross-shaped church that intersects the nave.

Corinthian

A style of column characterized by a slender fluted shaft and an elaborate capital.

Spolia

Reused building stone or decorative sculpture from earlier buildings.

Clerestory

A high section of wall that contains windows above eye level, allowing light into the building.

Threshold

The strip of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway.

Crucifixion Scene

A depiction of the execution of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Oratory

A small chapel or prayer room.

Blind Arcades

A series of arches that are not open but are instead applied to a wall.

Naturalism

A style of art that aims to represent objects as they appear in nature.

Abstraction

A style that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of visual reality.

Good Shepherd

A common early Christian motif depicting Christ as a shepherd caring for his flock.

Pilgrimage

A journey to a sacred place for religious reasons.

Roman Emperor

The ruler of the Roman Empire, often depicted in art as a figure of authority.

Eucharist

A Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine.