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Art of The Early Christian Period c. 300-750 AD
Christian Art and Paintings History > Early Christian and Byzantine Art > Art of The Early Christian Period c. 300-750 AD
a) The Christian Period From c. 200-313 AD
Introduction To The Christian Period From c. 200-313 AD
While the cult of the Emperor Augustus was growing throughout the Roman world and while temples were still being built in honour of "Augustus and Rome", Christian communities flourished, because they answered the need for a more spiritual life and offered the hope of salvation and a life hereafter ...read complete article
Art of The Catacombs
Burials were central to Christian belief and were linked to the concept of Christ's Second Coming: The hope of resurrection on Judgment Day was fundamental in Christian belief, and that is why cremation of the body was forbidden ...read complete article
Sarcophagi
The earliest sculptures were also connected with the cult of the dead. Elaborately carved marble or stone sarcophagi, influenced by Roman traditions, were commissioned. Since these seldom bear inscriptions, it is difficult to establish a definite chronology. It seems that most of them date from the third century and that the best ones can be assigned to the late fourth century ...read complete article
b) Fourth Century Christian Art
Introduction to Fourth Century Christian Art
In AD 313 the Emperor Constantine the Great, by the so-called Edict of Milan, proclaimed religious toleration, and Christianity assumed a privileged position. Christianity thus became the favoured religion of a vast empire, stretching from the Atlantic to Mesopotamia and from the entire length of the North African coast to Britain. In Europe this empire extended eastwards to the Rhine and the Danube ...read complete article
Painting and Mosaic Decoration in Fourth Century Christian Art
The vast expanse of wall surface within the Early Christian basilica was admirably suited to painted or mosaic decoration. But, no wall paintings have survived from fourth century churches. Some catacomb paintings are assigned to this period, for instance, those in Sts. Pietro e Marcellino in Rome ...read complete article
c) Christian Art From the Fifth to Eight Century
Introduction to
Christian Art From the Fifth to Eight Century
In the course of the fifth century, all the provinces from Africa to Britain fell under Barbarian rule. In 404 Heraclius established his capital at Ravenna, and in 410 Alaric the Goth plundered Rome and left it in ruins. In 455 this destruction was repeated by the Vandals, and by 476 the Western half of the Empire had fallen and Italy was ruled by Barbarian kings ...read complete article
Mosaics, Paintings and Illuminated Manuscripts of Christian Art From the Fifth to Eight Century
The decoration of S. Maria Maggiore is perhaps the most important that has survived from this phase. Stylistically, the mosaics which adorn the interior, represent a distinct transition from the late Antique to the Christian era proper ...read complete article
Sculpture of
Christian Art From the Fifth to Eight Century
Little attention is usually given to the sculptural manifestations of the Early Christian period. Although there remains scarcely any monumental, three-dimensional sculpture, relief-carving has survived in marble, stucco, wood bronze and precious metal ...read complete article
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