early christian art christianity was legalized by emperor constantine (edict of milan in 325 ad) -...
DESCRIPTION
Terminology Fresco – painting on wet plaster on terminology handout Fresco – painting on wet plaster Tessarae - pieces of coloured glass (sometimes with gold leaf underneath) used to create wall mosaics. Mosaic – an image created through arranging pieces of coloured glass or stone on a surface. Catacombs –underground passageways used to bury Christian dead and as meeting places during persecutions. Sarcophagus – a stone coffin, often elaborately decorated. Façade – Front of a building Stylized – When images are less realistic and somewhat simplified (e.g. saint’s clothing). Relief – sculptural carvings on a surface that show depth but are not totally 3-D like a sculpture / statue.TRANSCRIPT
Early Christian Art Christianity was legalized by Emperor
Constantine (Edict of Milan in 325 AD) - before this, Christianity
had to be practiced in secret to avoid persecution (punishment:
torture or death). Christians would either meet in one anothers
homes or in catacombs outside of the Roman city walls. Early
Christians abandoned realistic art for symbolic
representation.Images / symbols were adapted from Roman pagan
traditions and used to convey religious concepts. The Christian
Church began to grow as the power and influence of the Roman Empire
gradually declined. Terminology Fresco painting on wet
plaster
on terminology handout Fresco painting on wet plaster Tessarae -
pieces of coloured glass (sometimes with gold leaf underneath) used
to create wall mosaics. Mosaic an image created through arranging
pieces of coloured glass or stone on a surface. Catacombs
underground passageways used to bury Christian dead and as meeting
places during persecutions. Sarcophagus a stone coffin, often
elaborately decorated. Faade Front of a building Stylized When
images are less realistic and somewhat simplified (e.g. saints
clothing). Relief sculptural carvings on a surface that show depth
but are not totally 3-D like a sculpture / statue. 1. St.
Apollinare in Classe (522-549 AD) Ravenna, Italy Parts of the
Basilica Basilica a long rectangular hall, used by Romans as public
meeting places adapted to churches. Apse semi-circular chapel at
the end of the nave used for the throne of the bishop and the
altar. Nave centre aisle of the church. Arcade a series of arches
and columns supporting them (supporting the walls). Side Aisle
Walkway of a church running parallel to the nave, separated by
piers or columns. Clerestory Upper part of a nave containing
windows that illuminate the interior of the church. St. Apollinare
in Classe. (522-549) Ravenna, Italy.
Plain on the outside but beautiful on the inside symbolizes their
belief that the soul is more important than a persons exterior.
Forms of decoration: mosaics images are symbolic (realism was not
important) symbol of the Good Shepard Borrowed Architectural
Features: rounded arches columns New Architectural Feature: Bell
Tower 2. The Good Shepherd (4th century AD) Catacombs St. Peter
& St
2. The Good Shepherd (4th century AD) Catacombs St. Peter & St.
Marcellinus. Rome, Italy 2. The Good Shepherd. (4th century)
Catacombs of St. Peters and St
2. The Good Shepherd. (4th century) Catacombs of St. Peters and St.
Marcellinus. Rome, Italy. The Good Shepherd is a commonly used
symbol to represent Christ. Meaning: Christ will leave his flock in
order to help the one who has gone astray. Forms of decoration:
-this image is a marble statue -images are always symbolic during
this time period -also seen as a fresco (painting on wet plaster)
3. Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus. (359 AD) Marble. 3. Sarcophagus of
Junius Bassus. (359) marble.
Purpose: a stone coffin the deceased shows his faith Forms of
decoration: high relief images of the Old and New Testament
Borrowed Architectural Features: rounded arches columns