Early Christian Art & Architecture: Origins in the Roman Empire
Early Christian Art: Origins and Development
Early Christian art marks the genesis of a distinct typology of buildings and decorative arts within Western art history.
Historical Context of Early Christianity
Initially, Christianity had very few adherents and was prohibited within the Roman Empire. Originating in Palestine, particularly Bethlehem, the faith gradually expanded and gained followers. Despite severe persecutions against Christians during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, their numbers continued to grow. The evolving Christian dogma eventually led Emperor Constantine to reconsider the empire’s religious policies. In 313 AD, he granted freedom of worship to Christians through the Edict of Milan.
Key Periods of Early Christian Art
- Pre-Constantinian Period: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Centuries AD
- Constantinian Period: 313 AD – 476 AD
Milestones in Early Christian History
- 313 AD: Edict of Milan – Granted religious freedom to Christians throughout the Roman Empire.
- 325 AD: Council of Nicaea – Defined key Christian doctrines and established a unified creed.
- 391 AD: Abolition of Polytheism – Emperor Theodosius I prohibited pagan cults, making Nicene Christianity the state religion.
Pre-Constantinian Period: Art in Hiding
Tituli: Early Christian Meeting Places
During periods of persecution, Christians gathered in camouflaged buildings known as tituli. These were often private houses or the upper floors of shops and workshops, adapted for worship. A notable example of a preserved titulus is found in Dura-Europos.
Catacombs: Underground Cemeteries and Art
Catacombs served as underground cemeteries for early Christians. While some historians suggest they were used as hiding places, these cemeteries were primarily controlled by collegiae (burial societies). They consist of a vast network of corridors with niches (loculi) carved into their walls for burials. Different types of burials existed, reflecting the deceased’s social standing.
These subterranean spaces were decorated with fresco paintings, which, though stylistically simple, developed a new Christian iconography. Artists often adapted existing pagan imagery to convey Christian meanings. Common themes included:
- Salvation narratives
- The Good Shepherd
- Christ (often represented by the Chi Rho monogram)
- Scenes from the Old and New Testaments
- Symbols of eternal life, such as the phoenix and the peacock
Beginning in the 3rd century, sarcophagi decorated with reliefs became more common. These coffins were often placed against walls, and only the visible sides were adorned. Early reliefs featured symbolic forms like the strigil pattern, to which later elements such as the Chi Rho or medallions were added.
Constantinian Period: The Rise of Christian Architecture
With the legalization of Christianity, a surge in construction began, leading to the erection of significant commemorative and religious buildings, including:
The Christian Basilica: A New Form of Worship Space
Basilicas became the primary venues for celebrating Mass. These structures typically featured:
- Construction: Supported by columns of wood or stone.
- Entrance: Often through an atrium (patio) leading to a narthex, an entrance hall for catechumens (unbaptized individuals).
- Interior Layout: A rectangular plan divided into three or more naves by rows of columns. The central nave was typically twice as wide as the side aisles.
- Apse and Sanctuary: Entry was usually from one of the shorter sides, leading towards a semicircular apse at the opposite end. This apse, often marked by a large arch, housed the sanctuary and the high altar, frequently highlighted by a canopy (ciborium).
- Roofing: Commonly featured a wooden truss roof.
- Matroneum: Some basilicas included a second-story gallery, known as a matroneum, reserved for women.
- Confessio: Beneath the altar, a small chamber or grid (confessio) housed sacred relics.
- Seating: Traditionally, men sat on the right side (often receiving more light, where the Gospel was read), while women sat on the left, in the shadows, where epistles might have been read.
Other Significant Christian Buildings
- Baptistery: Structures specifically designed for the sacrament of baptism.
- Mausoleum: Commemorative tombs, often with a central altar for annual Masses. These could feature a central plan with an ambulatory and a dome or half-dome roof.
- Martyrium: Buildings erected over the tomb of a martyr or at a site of martyrdom.
Beyond the longitudinal basilica, many of these Constantinian-era buildings, such as baptisteries and martyria, also adopted centralized plans. These designs featured circular, polygonal, or square shapes, often crowned by a dome or half-dome resting on columns that mirrored the outer wall’s footprint.
Early Christian Sculpture
Early Christian sculpture primarily focused on religious themes, drawing heavily from both the Old and New Testaments. While less prominent than architecture or painting, it played a significant role in sarcophagi decoration and smaller devotional objects.