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Chapter 11Late Antiquity

Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 13e

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Europe and the Near East in Late Antiquity

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Goals

• Understand the influence of religion in the art of the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity.

• Examine the art forms and architecture of Late Antiquity.

• Understand the different media used to create Early Christian art.

• Find Roman stylistic features that are incorporated into early Christian art.

• Understand how Roman art and architecture is changed as a result of Christianity and the decisions of Constantine.

• Know and cite artistic and architectural terminology from the period.  

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Figure 11-2 Interior of the synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria,with wall paintings of Old Testament themes, ca.245–256.Tempera on plaster. Reconstruction in National Museum, Damascus.

Figure 11-3 Samuel anoints David, detail of the mural paintings in the syna-gogue, Dura-Europos, Syria, ca. 245–256. Tempera on plaster, 47 high.

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Figure 11-4 Restored cutaway view of the Christian community house, Dura-Europos, Syria, ca. 240–256 (John Burge). (1) former courtyard of private house, (2) meeting hall, (3) baptistery. 6

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Early Christian Images

• Describe the appearance of Christ in Early Christian art.

• Understand the different media used to create early Christian art, particularly frescoes.

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Figure 11-5 The Good Shepherd, the story of Jonah,and orants, painted ceiling of a cubiculum in the Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, Italy, early fourth century.

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Figure 11-7 Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, from Rome, Italy, ca. 359. Marble, 3’ 10 1/2” x 8’. Museo Storico del Tesoro della Basilica di San Pietro, Rome.

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Figure 11-16 Christ as the Good Shepherd, mosaic from the entrance wall of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 425.

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Figure 11-18 Miracle of the loaves and fishes, mosaic from the top register of the nave wall (above the clerestory windows in FIG. 11-17) of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 504.

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Figure 11-9 Restored cutaway view (top) and plan (bottom) of Old Saint Peter’s, Rome, Italy, begun ca. 319 (John Burge). (1) nave, (2) aisle, (3) apse, (4) transept, (5) narthex, (6) atrium.

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Figure 11-17 Interior of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy, dedicated 504.

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Figure 11-11 Interior of Santa Costanza, Rome, Italy, ca. 337–351.

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Figure 11-12 Plan of Santa Costanza, Rome, Italy, ca. 337–351.

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Rome and Ravenna

• Examine the enduring influence of the classical pagan world in the Christian art of Rome.

• Cite illustrations of early Church architecture, their origins and development, particularly in Ravenna

• Understand the new aesthetic informing the art and how it is different from the art of the classical period.

• Understand the different media and forms used to create early Christian art, particularly illuminated manuscripts.

• Know and cite artistic and architectural terminology from the period

17Figure 11-15 Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 425.

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Figure 11-20 Rebecca and Eliezer at the well, folio 7 recto of the Vienna Genesis, early sixth century. Tempera, gold, and silver on purple vellum, approx. 1’ 1/4” X 9 1/4”. Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna.

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Discussion Questions

• Why are the wall paintings at Dura Europos important to understanding the art of the Late Antique (Roman) and Early Christian time periods?

• What visual characteristics of earlier pagan funerary art are seen in Christian art from this period? Does the context change?

• What might one speculate as reasons for the absence of a crucified Christ in Early Christian art?

• What was/were the purpose(s) of Early Christian art?