Early Christian Art Lecture Notes

Topics and Themes of Late Antiquity

• Style of late antiquity
• Christian reappropriation of pagan iconography and structures
• Syncretism
• Catacombs and funerary art
• Popular Subjects of Late Antique Art
• Changing Depictions of Jesus
• Early Christian Church Architecture
• Luxury Arts with ivory carvings

Christianity: Key Points

• Jesus of Nazareth is considered the Messiah by Christians.
• Christians believe God took human form as Jesus, who preached and was crucified.
• Jesus resurrected three days after his crucifixion and established a Christian church with his apostles.
• He ascended to heaven after forty days.
• Christianity offers eternal salvation without animal or blood sacrifices, as Jesus's sacrifice is considered final.
• The Last Supper (also called Holy Communion or the Eucharist) reenacts Jesus's sacrifice, with bread symbolizing his body and wine symbolizing his blood.
• Christians rejected the Greco-Roman pantheon in favor of monotheism, a significant departure from the polytheistic traditions.

Persecution of Christians

• Christians refused to worship the emperor as an embodiment of the state, causing conflict with Roman authorities.
• Romans typically allowed conquered peoples to keep their gods as long as they also worshiped Roman deities.
• Christians were seen as problematic due to their exclusive monotheism.
• They often kept to themselves, forming secretive networks as a result of persecution.
• Claudius expelled Christians from Rome.
• Nero used Christians as scapegoats for the fire.
• Key emperors who persecuted Christians: Trajan Decius and Diocletian (who began the tetrarchy).

Edict of Milan and Establishment of Christianity

• The Edict of Milan in 313 AD, passed by Constantine and Licinius, granted religious tolerance to all religions, ending the persecution of Christians.
• By February, Rome was already the center of Christianity.
• Trajan Decius and Diocletian persecuted Christians until the Edict of Milan.
• By 324 AD, Constantine became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire.
• In March, Theodosius I established Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire and later banned pagan worship.
• Shortly after, the Roman Empire split into East and West, mirroring divisions from Diocletian's tetrarchy.

Art of Late Antiquity/Early Christian Art

• This art was created under Roman rule, within the late Roman Empire.
• It's crucial to note that this period is not chronologically forward from the previous chapter but rather a different lens on the same era.
• The earliest preserved Christian artworks date from several centuries after Jesus's crucifixion and do not originate from Jesus's time.
• This art forms the foundation for the art and architecture of the Middle Ages, evolving from stylistic changes in the late Roman world.

Dura Europos: A Crossroads of Religions

• Dura Europos was a Roman city on the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia, a distant outpost of the Roman Empire.
• It is a critical site showcasing the meeting of various religious crosscurrents in late antiquity.
• Shrines of polytheistic religions (Mediterranean, Near East, Roman) coexisted with monotheistic religions (Judaism and Christianity).
• Often called the "Pompeii of the desert" due to its well-preserved buildings and paintings, resulting from residents solidifying walls in anticipation of an attack.
• Excavations began in the 1920s and 1930s and continue today, focusing on excavation and preservation.

Jewish Synagogue in Dura Europos

• The synagogue was originally a private house with a central courtyard. It was later converted into a synagogue.
• The house of assembly, located at the top of the structure, featured walls adorned with numerous paintings.
• The walls contain three main bands of 58 frames depicting stories from the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Samuel, Kings, Esther, Ezekiel), showcasing heroes of the Old Testament.
• The discovery of the synagogue provided evidence of Jewish narrative art, challenging previous scholarly assumptions.
• Figures are frontal and flattened with limited depth, similar facial features, and the Torah shrine is centrally placed within the room.
• The discovery suggested that Jewish pictorial narratives were more widespread in the region.

\"Samuel Anoints David\" Painting

• Located to the right of the Torah shrine, this painting depicts the prophet Samuel anointing David, the future king of Israel.
• Samuel is depicted in white, the largest figure, set apart on the left side.
• David is in the foreground, shown in full figure and wearing purple, a color associated with royalty, to symbolize his future kingship.
• Faces generally appear similar with limited emotion.
• Figures lack weight and appear flat, with gestures conveying the story, emphasizing the didactic purpose of the paintings.
• The artwork prioritizes the idea and spiritual presence over realistic depiction, reflecting the late antique style.
• The late antique style, also seen in imperial art like the Arch of Constantine, includes stylized gestures, expressionless features, a lack of mass and volume, and a linear composition.

Late Antique Style: Key Characteristics

• Frontal views
• Devoid of action
• Stylized gestures
• Expressionless faces
• Lack of volume and depth
• Flattening of space

Depiction of God

• Jews cannot create an image of God, so God is represented through symbolic gestures, such as God's hands emerging from the top of the frame in the image of Moses parting the Red Sea.
• The painting includes stylized gestures, a lack of expression, frontally placed figures, and linear arrangements.

Christian Community House in Dura Europos

• The Christian community house, like the synagogue, was originally a private house converted into a place of worship.
• It includes a meeting house, a courtyard, and a baptistry.
• Paintings above the baptistry depict Adam and Eve, reminding new Christians of the fall of man and the promise of salvation through Christ.
• The verse 1 Corinthians 15:22 (\text{For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive}) is relevant here.
• Above Adam and Eve is Christ as the Good Shepherd, symbolizing salvation. This imagery is intended to remind believers of their sins and the promise of salvation through Christ.
• The verse John 10:11 (\text{I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep}) is relevant here.
• The image of Christ as the Good Shepherd is common in early Christian art, appearing in catacombs and sculptures.
• The presence of a Jewish synagogue and a Christian community house in Dura Europos exemplifies the religious diversity of the time.