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Early Christian art and architecture (or Paleochristian art) is the art produced by Christians, or under Christian patronage, from the earliest period of Christianity to, depending on the definition, sometime between 260 and 525.
- A Brief History of Early Christian Art
- Religious Renaissance Art
- Notable Early Christian Artworks
- Frequently Asked Questions
Tracing the early days of Christian artwork can be a difficult task to undertake. Before 100 CE, Christians were a persecuted minority, so the chances of them being allowed to create art at this time were rather slim. At that time, Christianity was a small fringe religion with very few followers and little to no public recognition or support, so Ch...
During the 13th and 14th centuries, churches became massive patrons of Christian art and commissioned and bought large quantities of work from Christian painters. Many members of the public were unable to write at this time, so art was used to help them envision the scriptures, creating a sense of respect and awe amongst the community. Churches hop...
From Medieval Christian art through to the Renaissance period, Christain artwork has been created in many different mediums such as paintings on canvas and murals on walls to Christian sculptures and architecture. Let us take a look at some notable examples of early Christian artworks.
Why Is It So Hard to Find Early Examples of Christian Art?
In the early days of the religion, most of the people who followed it were too poor to afford art supplies. Many of them also believed that God should not be depicted visually, and refrained from creating artwork that portrayed holy deities. Once Constantine changed the national landscape to one dominated by Christianity, churches started commissioning art and it became socially acceptable and financially viable for them to start creating Christian artwork. Before such a time as it became acc...
What Subject Matter Did Early Christian Artists Paint?
As most works were commissioned by the churches, the majority of the subject matter was decided on by the clergy, although some artists were able to enjoy some free reign over what they could paint. The most common subject matter involved scenes of the birth and death of Christ, as well as scenes of creation such as the story of Adam and Eve, or even apocalyptic scenes. These paintings were created to simultaneously inspire the masses to devotion as well as instill the fear of hell, thus enco...
Define key terms related to early Christian art; Discuss the influence of Greco-Roman culture on the development of early Christian art; Explain what replaced the Classical temple in Early Christian architecture and why it evolved; Differentiate Early Christian sculpture from earlier Roman sculptural traditions
Early Christian art history encompasses a range of material loosely dated from the first known appearances of Christian art in the late second or early third century and continuing through the sixth, seventh, and sometimes even into the early eighth centuries.
The beginnings of an identifiable Christian art can be traced to the end of the second century and the beginning of the third century. Considering the Old Testament prohibitions against graven images, it is important to consider why Christian art developed in the first place.
Early Christian art and architecture after Constantine. by Dr. Allen Farber. By the beginning of the fourth century Christianity was a growing mystery religion in the cities of the Roman world. It was attracting converts from different social levels. Christian theology and art was enriched through the cultural interaction with the Greco-Roman ...
Read this article, which discusses the importance of the legalization of Christianity by Constantine for the development of Christian art. Note the impact of the political realities on developments in art.
