EARLY CHRISTIAN

Early Christian (Period: c.200-500.)

The history of early Christianity covers Christianity from its origins to the First Council of Nicaea in 325.

•The first part of the period, during the lifetimes of the Twelve Apostles, is traditionally believed to have been initiated by the Great Commission of Jesus (though some scholars dispute its historicity), and is called the Apostolic Age. 

IMPORTANT WORK OF ARTS

PAINTING:Characteristic:Early Christians used the same artistic media as the surrounding pagan culture, included fresco, mosaics,sculpture and manuscript illumination.

Early Christian art not only used Roman forms, it also used Roman styles.

The popular style tomb-paintings in  Catacombs of Rome, which include most examples of the earliest Christian art.[3]

Early Christians also developed their own iconography, 

Early Christian Mural Paintingof the "Good Shepherd" from theCatacomb of Priscilla, Rome (c.275).

The Good Shepherd in the catacombs. One of the images represented the most in the art of the catacombs is the Good Shepherd. 

Christ among His Apostles, Catacomb of Domitilla, early fourth century.

*An early representation of Christ found in the Catacomb of Domitilla shows the figure of Christ flanked by a group of his disciples .

*This Christian imagery might mistake this for an image of the Last Supper, Christ draped in classical garb holds a scroll in his left hand while his right hand is outstretched in the so-called ad locutio gesture, or the gesture of the orator.

Sarcophagi

Sarcophagus of Constantina, daughter of Constantine I, from her mausoleum

at Santa Costanza (now in Vatican Museums).

Early Christians sarcophagi are those Ancient Roman sarcophagi carrying inscriptions or carving relating them to early Christianity.

A wide variety of subjects are shown on sarcophagi, with the most elaborate containing small cycles of narrative scenes from the gospels and simpler ones symbols such as the Chi Rho.

Architecture

Photo: Caroline Rose & Pierre Grimal: Churches of Rome

San Clemente is a prime example of the appropriation of classical architecture by the early Church into the liturgy of the Catholic Church.

When the early Christians were able to build their churches in public, they chose the high-style architectural classicism of the Roman Empire. 

Insights

My insights, for me looking for early Christian artwork or just seeing it is inspiring, also when we see the images of jesus or an angels, that makes us realize about how religious we are but we must need to know also what Christian art truly means. And to know that the right Christian artwork is one that speaks to you no matter what the imagery.                                               FERNANDEZ, JENNIFER