Late Antiquity: Jewish, Early

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• Late Antiquity Jewish, Early
• Christian Byzantine Art

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The Art of Late Antiquity

• Understand the influence of religion in the art
  of the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity.
• Understand how Roman art and architecture is
  changed as a result of Christianity and the
  decisions of Constantine.
• Relate influences of specific images of Christ.
• Understand the different media used to create
  early Christian art, particularly frescoes.
• Know and cite artistic and architectural
  terminology from the period.

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Jews, Christians and Muslims

• All 3 are monotheistic (only one god exists)
• JEWSGod made a covenant (pact) with their
  ancestors (Hebrews) that they are the chosen
  people. They await a savior (Messiah)
• CHRISTIANSbelieve Jesus is that Messiah (Christ
  is from the Greek word meaning, messiah. He
  took human form, preached, was executed, rose
  from the dead and ascended to heaven
• MUSLIMSaccept Hebrew prophets and acknowledge
  Jesus but see Muhammad to be last and greatest
  prophet of God (6 centuries after Jesus) well
  talk about this later in the semester

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Jews, Christians and Muslims

• All 3 are religions of the bookhave written
  records of Gods will and words
• Hebrew scripturesJewish
• BibleChristian (Old Testament are the Hebrew
  scriptures with New Testament)
• Koran (Quran)--Muslim

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• Judaism Christianity existed within the Roman
  Empire along with other religions that were
  polytheistic
• Jews a Semitic people (Hebrews) who lived in
  Canaan (Palestine-Roman name). This land is
  promised by God to be theirs.
• Jewish lawforbade the worship of idols

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• Mosesprophet who led his people out of slavery
  in Egypt to Canaan
• He climbs a top Mount Sinai where he receives the
  10 Commandments (law tablets)
• Tablets are kept in a gold-covered wooden boxThe
  Ark of the Covenant
• First Templedestroyed in 586 BCE by Babylonians.
  Rebuilt after 539 BCE and called 2nd Temple (this
  was destroyed by a man named Titus..remember
  that?)

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Interior of the synagogue, Dura-Europos,
Syria,with wall paintings of Old Testament
themes, ca.245256.Tempera on plaster.
Reconstruction in National Museum, Damascus.
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Wall with Torah Niche from the house-synagogue,
Dura-Europos, Syria. 244-245 CE
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Detail from the house-synagogue, Dura-Europos,
Syria
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• Synagogues Jewish house of prayer usually has
  a large hall for prayer, smaller rooms for study
  and sometimes a social hall and offices.
  Sometimes called temple but not a consecrated
  place or necessary for worship. 10 Jewsability
  to worship
• Besides house-synagogues, Jews built some
  designed like Roman basilicas.

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• Synagogue Floor
• From Ancient Menois
• c. 530 CE
• --mosaic
• --lions of Judah
• --menorah
• --shofar (rams horn)
• --3 citrons (for harvest festival, Sukkot)

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Christianity

• Belief in one God but has 3 persons
• Father
• Son (Jesus)
• Holy Spirit
• Constantine calls for 1st council to establish
  Christian doctrine in 325 CE in Nicaea (present
  day, Turkey)
• PopeBishop of Rome vs. PatriarchBishop of
  Constantinople in 1054 CE (The Great Schism)
  turns into Catholic Church (Rome) Orthodox church
  (Eastern)

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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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• The Good Shepherd
• 2nd half of the 3rd C.
• Eastern Mediterranean (Turkey?)
• Marble
• 19 ¾
• --classical pose
• --Good Shepherd-borrowed from Apollo, Hermes,
  etc.
• (pagan)
• --RARE to find Christian sculpture before
  Constantine plus not much of itThey were afraid
  of realism (confusing no idol worship)

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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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• Lambpagan sacrifice
• Dove-Old Testament for peace
• Fish-Christ

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General Basilica Plan

• The TRANSEPT is a new concept that occurs during
  Constantine (it will shape churches later)

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Santa Sabina, exterior, Rome, Italy, 422432.
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• Most early Christian churches have been rebuilt
  but Santa Sabina appears much like it was in the
  5th Century
• Basic elements of a Basilica are seen
• Nave with clerestory windows
• Side aisles
• Ends in rounded space (apse)
• Outside, is simple brick but interior is marble
  columns with Corinthian capitals from a previous
  building from the 2nd Century (spolia)
• AP Art History Nerd Fact 148It still has its
  ORIGINAL 5th Century doors! (carved with scenes
  from the Old Testament and New Testament

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Interior of Santa Sabina, Rome, Italy, 422432.
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Rome and Ravenna

• Romes political hold subsides and in 395 CE,
  Emperor Theodosius moves splits the empire into
  Eastern and Western divisions (Milan)
• Milan is invaded, so he moves it to Ravenna

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Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca.
425.
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Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

• One of the oldest surviving examples in Ravenna
• Named after Galla Placidia (1/2 sister to
  Honorius who took over Milan for his dad)
• It is CRUCIFORMcross shaped building
• Barrel vaults cover each of its arms
• PENDENTIVE DOME!
• PENDENTIVEspherical triangles between arches to
  form openings for the dome to rest

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Interior, Galla Placidia--notice barrel vaults,
lunette (Saint Lawrence)
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The Good Shepherd, lunette from the entrance of
Galla Placidia c. 425-26 CE
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• Subject matter is the same with Good Shepherd
  but iconography changes
• --No longer a boy-an adult with a golden halo
  wearing imperial robes of gold and purple with a
  staff thats a cross and not a shepherds hook
• --landscape is now more rigid

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