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Explore the representation of Jesus as the Alpha and Omega in Jewish catacombs in Rome, as well as early Christian symbols and architecture.
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Chapter 7 Jewish, Early Christian, and Byzantine Art
Catacombs of Commodilla, Jesus the Alpha and OmegaRome, Italy 4th c. AD. fresco
Catacombs of Commodilla, Jesus the Alpha and Omega • This panel shows a bearded Jesus flanked by two Greek letters: on the left alpha, the first letter of the alphabet, on the right, omega, the last letter of the alphabet. The picture evokes Rev 1:8: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Menorahs and Ark of the Covenant, wall painting in a Jewish catacomb, Villa Torlonia, Rome, 3rd Century.
Dura-Europos in Syria c.244-245 wall with the Torah Niche, tempera on plaster
Detail of Niche at Dura-Europos in Syria c.244-245 wall with the Torah Niche, tempera on plaster
Finding of the Baby Moses, Wall painting Dura-Europos, Syria. Copy in tempora on plaster 244-45 AD.
Menorah • During the wanderings of the Children of Israel through the desert, the artisan, Bezalel, the son of Uri, was commanded to fashion a seven-branched candelabrum or menorah, for use in the Lord's Tabernacle:
CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM • Like Musical Notation, Christian Symbolism illustrates that for which it stands. And it adds a certain beauty and mysticism to religion, speaking as it does of an unseen world and a supernatural faith. For the proper understanding of Christian Art and Architecture some knowledge of symbolism is absolutely necessary.
Symbols • The Dove represents the HOLY GHOST, under which figure the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ at His Baptism. • The Fish represents Christ - The Greek word "Ixthus" which means "Fish," is spelled from the first letters of Greek words meaning, "Jesus CHRIST, Son of GOD SAVIOR." This sign was used as a secret symbol by the early Christians in the days of persecution. • The Gospels are symbolized by the Figures of a Man, a Lion, an Ox, and an Eagle referring to Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke and Saint John, who respectively represented Our Lord as Man, King, Priest and Victim and GOD. • The Lamb typifies Christ as the Lamb of GOD symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. It is usually seen holding a Banner and Cross. The Good Shepherd also represents Christ. This is probably the earliest of all Christian symbols. CHRIST is sometimes shown with the Sheep in His Arms.
Symbol of the Cross • The Cross represents the mode of Christ’s Death. Though long antedating Christianity it was early adopted as a Sacred Symbol. Of the many forms of the Cross, the Latin, the Celtic, the Greek and the Maltese are those most generally seen. The shape of the "True Cross" was probably the Latin (or perhaps the "T") Cross, having the lower arm longer than the others.
Latin Cross - The most common depiction of a Christian cross in modern times. Greek Cross - All arms are of equal length. Tau Cross -This form of cross (resembling the Greek letter Tau) predates the Latin cross. St. Peter’s Cross -Representing St. Peter’s upside-down crucifixion.
Catacomb Painting: Good Shepherd, Orants, and the Story of Jonah4th century AD, Rome
Early Christian Architecture • The invention of the Christian church was one of the brilliant--perhaps the most brilliant--solutions in architectural history. This was achieved by a process of assimilating and rejecting various precedents, such as the Greek temple, the Roman public building, the private Roman house, and the synagogue. • The Early Christian period saw the growth of Christianity, effectively an underground Eastern mystery cult during the first three centuries AD. It was established as the state religion of the Empire under the successors of Constantine. Ecclesiastical administration set up within the framework of the Roman Empire. • Little change in social and economic order. Gradual split between Eastern and Western Empire in state and church. Political and economic breakdown of the West, ending in barbarian invasions.
Early Christian Architecture: basilical church developed from Roman secular basilica; centralized type from Roman tombs. Basilical plan modified for liturgical requirements; congregation and clergy segregated in nave and aisles vs. transept and apse. Different variants in East and West. • In Rome, classical marble wall membering and vocabulary, and emphasis on massive wall, gradually replaced by broad, flat surfaces, evenly lighted; plain brick exteriors; mosaic bands of interiors. Long planes with little articulation, either horizontal or vertical.
Baptistry in Christian House, Dura Europos, miracles of Jesus, Dura Europos, 3rd century AD., Syria.
Following the Edict of Milan in 313 Constantine began an extensive building program to provide churches and meeting places for Christians. Previously they met in private homes that had rooms for worship.The first Christian churches used Roman structural and design elements.The basilica evolved into the essential design for the church that is still used today.
Reconstruction drawing of St. Peter’s, Rome c. 333-390 AD right: interior view of St Paul outside the Walls, Rome c. 385 AD.
CHURCH OF SANTA SABINA : DoorsPanel 17: Elijah taken to Heaven
Plan of Santa Costanza, brick, c. 350 CE, Rome right: interior view of Santa Costanza.
Santa Constanza, Rome c. 350 AD. Second type of ancient building – the Tholos. A round structure with a central plan.
Harvesting of Grapes, mosaic in the ambulatory vault, Church of Santa Costanza
“Built between 425 and 433, this small mausoleum adopts a cruciform plan, and the crossing is covered by a dome. On the outside, the architect simply juxtaposed masses. However, in contrast to Romanesque architecture, the mausoleum walls give the impression of being simple partitions designed to mark off the interior spaces. Blind arcades are its only decoration. The inside is relatively small and extremely simple. The mausoleum was intended from the very start to be covered with mosaics, and these are the oldest in Ravenna. The principal scene depicts the martyrdom of St. Lawrence at the moment when the saint approaches the red-hot gridiron. The other niche represents the Good Shepherd, and on the upper walls are the apostles.”
Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, lunette mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, c. 425-26 AD.
Good Shepherd, lunette mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, c. 425-26 AD.
Bookcase with the Gospels in codex form – Detail of a mosaic in the eastern lunette, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Baptism of Christ, with Twelve Saints; dome mosaic, Baptistry of the Orthodox (Neonian Baptistery), mid-5th century A.D.
Early Byzantine art: The First Golden Age • The style of the Eastern Empire (called Byzantine) begins with the re-naming of the capital and continues in some parts of Europe and Russia well into the 15th century A.D. Architecturally, the Byzantine style is distinguished by an emphasis on centrally planned, domed structures such as San Vitale. San Vitale is located in Ravenna, a major Byzantine outpost in Italy. It is a particularly good example of the style's mystical, surging spaces: chapels seem carved out of the radiating aisle, and the plan is a complex octagon-within-an-octagon shape. This church dates to the first great flowering of Byzantine art, the First Golden Age, when the Emperor Justinian ruled from Constantinople.
Isidore of Miletus: Hagia Sofia exterior, cross section, and plan
Cathedral built at Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I
The Dome • It was not always possible to have a cylindrical base to support a dome. To support a dome on a square base arches could be built to bridge the corners and create an octagonal base. These were called squinches. An even more elaborate system of transferring the thrust of a dome to four points was to employ segments of vaults which are called pendentives.
The Lamb of God supported by Angels, 546-548, dome apse mosaic, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, 530-547 The Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, 530-547
