Late Antique & Early Christian Art

  • Gallery, Catacombs of St. Callixtus, 4th Cent.
    • carved into Tufa
    • loculi: “little places” for the burial of lower ranking people but able to have community
    • expand by adding corners and aisles
    • Cubicula: Larger burial rooms, often covered in Frescoes
  • Good Shepard, Catacombs of St. Callixtus
    • Contrapposto stance, carrying food and lamb
    • symbolic of Christ as a Shepard
    • Still classical style due to artists’ training
  • Cubiculum, Catacomb of SS. Peter and Marcellinus, early 4th Cent.
    • Central medallion: Good Shepard
    • Surrounding figures: Orans figures, praying
    • Lunettes: Half circle shapes/ half medallions
    • possibly referring to story of Jonah
    • Left H side: Jonah being thrown into jaws of the whale/beast
  • Christ as Orpheus, Catacombs of Domatilla
    • Orpheus convinces Hades to allow him to bring his wife back, but breaks the rules and she is forced to go back
    • Parallels to resurrection of Christ
  • Good Shepherd Sarcophagus, Cata. of Praetextus, late 4th Cent.
    • many little cupids: “cherubs”
    • Putti: another name for cherubs/cupid like figures
    • Putti harvesting grapes for wine
    • Puppet like proportions
  • Good Shepherd Statuette, Rome, ca 300
    • more Classical, but Christian theming
  • Sarcoph. of L. Junius Bassus, Rome, ca 359
    • many romans often baptized right before death
    • many equations of Christ to Dionysus
    • Abraham about to sac. Isaac
    • Adam and Eve after disobedience
    • Daniel in the den of Lions
    • Christ enthroned by apostles sitting over Caelus (god of the sky) for localization
  • St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
    • Atrium: holding area/ courtyard, unbaptized could go here during communion, then could return
    • Catacheumans: unbaptized not allowed to watch transfiguration
    • Everyone enters on the short side
    • Most churches oriented East-West
    • Narthex: Lobby type area
    • Nave: area between side aisles
    • Transept: buffer between nave and apse, placed at R angles
    • Cruciform plan
    • Interior highly decorated
    • Pagan temples eventually converted into churches
  • Mausoleum: Round buildings for tombs
  • Basilica Plan: Longitudinal
  • Santa Costanza, Rome, ca. 350
    • centralized plan: round church plan like tholos, dome roof, bright decoration
    • Ambulatory: aisle w/o beginning or end
    • mosaics of Costanza: covering entire vault, more abstracted, fractured glass
  • Christ Enthroned, Santa Pudenziana, Rome, ca.410-17
    • Beard appears on Jesus, Common depiction features of Jesus becoming more apparent
    • Nimbus: floating halo
    • apostles wearing roman senator garbs
    • 4 flying symbols: Matthew (monkey), Mark (lion), Luke (bull), John (eagle)
  • Nave, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, ca. 430-440
  • Parting of Lot and Abraham, S. Maria Mag.
    • brothers and their congregations parting ways
    • shepherd looking after flock below
    • Mosaic
    • 3D still late antique style w/ volume
  • Diptych of the Symmachi, ca. 400
    • Diptych: cover for writing panel
    • D. of Symmachi: showing joining of the two families, wedding gift, ivory, heavily classicized style, pagan priest performing sacrifice/ritual