Early Christians: Art

Art

1. Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

This art is made of marble, and involved in the burial of Junius Bassus. This sarcophagus is nowhere near as fancy a Les Invalides, but I guess for the Early Christians, it would've sufficed. Bassus died in 359, and was an ancient Roman politician.

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2. Catacombs of Domitillia

Showing a portrayal of early Christ teaching disciples, this art form is a burial in the Catacomb of St. Domitilla. This burial was in a sunken 4th century church. 

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3. Early Representation of Paul, the Apostle

Apostle Paul played a critical role in the development of early Christianity, as seen by this crude, beginning portrait of the fellow. Paul spread the word of Christianity beyond the Jewish communities of Palestine to the Greeks and Romans.

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4. Christ Healing the Bleeding Woman (Roman Catacombs)

The title of this painting self-explanatory. This woman was bleeding continually (whether or not she was menstrating is unclear), and Jesus Christ cured her. This is one of the miracles Jesus is said to have performed in the Gospels.

5. Good Shepard from the Catacomb of Priscilla

In Roman times, these catacombs were part of a quarry that held Christian burial tombs. Two popes were buried in the Priscilla Catacombs (Wow, I guess they weren't special enough to have their own burial like moi...) 

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6. Moses Striking the Rock in the Desert

Once again, we have a painting in a catacomb. Real original, early Christians!

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7. Three Figures in the Furnace (Painting)

It is often speculated who these three figures are. Hebrews or youths? This painting is in the Priscilla Catacombs, and from the book of Daniel.

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8. Gravestone of Datus

From the 3rd century, we have a early Christian gravestone. The words translate to dedicate this epitaph to a 20 year old son. The picture is a representation of the resurrection of Lazarus. This inscription is the most common in the Roman catacombs.

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9. Catacombs of St. Callixtus Painting

Being one of the oldest known paintings of Early Christians, it is unclear what this is even supposed to be. There seems to be a larger person (God) consoling another while a bystander has a pole? I may be a military genius, but this is beyond my expertise, dare I say.

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10. Jonah Vomited From the Whale

In the catacombs of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter, you will find this painting of Jonah being vomited from the mouth of the infamous whale. I don't think early Christians knew what a whale looked like, but hey, it was the third century.

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SOURCES:

https://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/smarthistory/early_christianity_smarthistory.html

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-christian1/a/early-christian-art

http://www.jesuswalk.com/christian-symbols/misc.htm