EARLY CHRISTIAN
-during Roman Empire
-debate over art in the Church
-opposition to Christian art because it could be seen as worshipping
images
-support for Chrisitan art because it could teaching stories to those
who couldn't read
-stories intended to look heavenly
-not earthly, not life-like, not humanistic
-man & body considered shameful
-Church adopts Latin from Romans
Catacombs -burial tunnels -hidden
-earliest Christian art located in the catacombs
-walls & ceilings were painted
-popular subject was Christ as a Shepherd
-communcates message that Christ watches over Christian flock
-also popular subject was a figure praying
-prayer position was standing with arms uplifted
-catacamb painting style:
-copied after roman painting
-show movement, contrapposto
-foreshortening
-shading
-life-like proportion
Great change once Christianity was legalized - 313, Constantine
-led to building churches
-copy churches after Roman basilica
-called a basilica plan
Center space called NAVE
Rounded area called APSE
Side spaces called SIDE AISLES
-altar goes in the apse
-provides directional flow to ceremony of mass
-no sitting, everyone stood
-separate mass (in latin) for men & women
-purpose of side aisles: provides waiting areas for men & women
-church exterior is very plain
-church interior is very decorated - story telling
-symoblizes outside as earthly and inside as heavenly
-ceiling made of wood
-less weight and allows for windows - allows for light
(unlike Roman barrel vault)
MOSAIC - is preferred medium for story telling
- tesserae made of shiny glass, gold and silver
-intended to reflect light, look shiny
- to look heavenly, glowing
Mosaic Style: 1. less Roman looking
2. flat
3. no atmos. perspective
4. no contrapposto - no turning
5. stiff drapery
6. no foreshortening
7. no variety of faces
8. no interest in human anatomy
9. Increased use of symbols:
halo = holy figure
cross = crucifixion
halo with cross = holy figure is Jesus
hands covered = figure holding holy object
purple robe = royalty
sheep & goats = good & evil = judgment day
chi rho = monogram of Christ
(looks like interlocking X and P)
alpha omega = beginning & end
circle = eternity
#3 = Trinity (father, son, holy spirit)
birds = souls
grapes = blood/sacrifice of Christ
NOT LIFE-LIKE BECAUSE GOD IS 'HIGHER' THAN THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE - ROMAN ART IS LIFE-LIKE BECAUSE THE GODS ARE SEEN IN A MORE HUMAN WAY
Martyrs - people who die for a cause
- symbolized by a "martyr'crown
- hands are covered
- like Christ dying with a crown of thorns
- martyrdom is way to sainthood
- people expected to pray to saints & martyrs- not God
TEST SLIDE - JUSTINIAN & COURT
ANON, EARLY CHRISTIAN
-mosaic
-divided into 3 parts: army, state & church
-figures are performing mass
- king carries bread, queen carries wine chalice
-women figures in separate mosaic b/c mass was separate
-mosaics are located in the church's apse
-King Justinian shown to rule by divine right
-means he was chosen by God to be king
-shows by his halo, purple robe, chi rho
-both king and queen mosaics located in apse
-Jesus above, King at right hand side, Queen at left hand side
-mosaic looks: flat, stiff, frontal, same poses, no foreshortening,
no contrapposto, very sparkly with lots of gold to be heavenly
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