Early Christian Architecture and Art

If, as some philosophers, psychologists, and theologians claim, creativity is our highest form of thinking, then surely art must be our highest achievement. I’ve done a post on Islamic Architecture and, since I am a Christian, I want to look closer at Christian architecture and art, which include some of the most magnificent buildings on the planet and some of the highest artistic achievements known to man (and women).

Christian architecture developed over time from early buildings in the Roman Empire, it inspired the magnificent architecture of the Byzantine Empire in the east, it evolved into Romanesque architecture, then into the famous Gothic architecture which gave Europe and much of the world its most magnificent cathedrals, cathedrals that became famous for their stained glass windows, statues, and relics, on to Renaissance and Baroque architecture, and finally it also inspired some magnificent modern churches, as it will, no doubt in the future.

The Christian faith also inspired some of the most magnificent works of fine art as well as wonderful music.

I am doing a course in Christian art, and to help myself memorize and master the work, I will post about it as I learn, but since this is a Sunday, and I am lazy, lazing about on the internet, but still curious to advance my knowledge, I am going to post some of the most magnificent Christian buildings and pieces of art I can think of and let them speak for themselves in all their glory so that I can enjoy them and wet my own appetite for what is to come.

I hope you will enjoy this, because these are great pieces of art that anyone can appreciate, whatever your religious convictions may be.

Early Christian Architecture and Art

The early Christians were sometimes persecuted because they refused to worship other gods, including the Roman Emperor who considered himself a god, so they often came together in catacombs, which are a network of underground tunnels and burial chambers that served as a burial place for early Christians and a refuge for persecuted Christians, where they worshipped Christ, their God. These catacombs contain some beautiful frescoes, which are wall paintings, as well as Christian symbols.

The Catacomb of Callixtus is one of the largest and most famous catacombs in Rome, known for its frescoes and sculptures, including images of Jonah and the whale and the Good Shepherd.

Jesus was often depicted as the Good Shepherd, an early Christian motif that represented Jesus as a caring shepherd, often with a sheep over his shoulders. This image symbolized Jesus’ role as the shepherd who leads his flock, those who believe in Him, to salvation.

The Catacomb of Priscilla, also a Roman catacomb, is known for its frescoes, including the oldest known image of the Madonna and Child, dating back to the early 3rd century CE.

There is also an image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd:

Other notable frescoes found in other catacombs include this image of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden:

Noah on the ark which he built to survive the Great Flood:

Jesus with a beard:

Jesus healing a bleeding woman:

This image of Saint Paul, the missionary who gave us our earliest Christian writings:

Christian Baptism:

The Arch of Constantine, built in the 4th century AD in Rome, is adorned with relief sculptures showing scenes from the life of Constantine the Great, including his conversion to Christianity.

Some believe that Constantine saw the Chi-Rho symbol in the sky and he heard a voice that said: “In this symbol you will conquer.” Other sources say he saw a cross. Either way, he let his soldiers paint the Chi-Rho symbols on their shields and then he led them into a battle where they won a great victory. This inspired him to legalize Christianity, make it the official religion of the Roman Empire, and, according to some accounts, convert to Christianity himself.

The Chi-Rho symbol is formed by superimposing the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός. It became a popular early Christian symbol and was often used to represent Jesus on early Christian artifacts and art.

Another Christian symbol is the fish, or Ichthys or Ichtus, which early Christians might have used as a secret symbol to recognize each other. It might also refer to Mark 1:17 in the Bible, where Jesus tells Simon and Andrew “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

In the fourth century after Christ, the Christians built a church over the tomb of Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, who, according to tradition was crucified upside down in Rome for spreading the Christian message.

It was the most important building in the Christian world until it was demolished in the sixteenth century to make way for the current St. Peter’s Basilica, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

This is St. Peter’s Basilica today:

This is a view from its top, looking out over St. Peter’s Square or the Piazza San Pietro:

This is a view of it’s dome at night:

At the Vatican, among its many treasures, you can also find the Codex Vaticanus.

The Codex Vaticanus, a Greek manuscript written in the 4th century, is one of the oldest and most important copies of the Christian Bible. It contains the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament, and it is written in uncial script with no spaces between words.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in the 4th century AD, is located in Jerusalem. According to Christian belief, this church was built on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried. It is one of the holiest sites in Christianity.

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre:

Pilgrims from all over the world still flock there to this very day:

The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites, built in the 5th century AD, is located near Aleppo, Syria.

This church is built on the site where Saint Simeon Stylites lived atop a pillar for 37 years.

Here is a picture of Saint Simeon on his pillar:

The Dura-Europos Christian House Church, discovered in modern-day Syria, was an early Christian church and one of the earliest known Christian meeting places. It is adorned with wall paintings depicting scenes from the Bible, including the Last Supper and the baptism of Jesus.

The Dura-Europos Synagogue, built in the third century, is located nearby. Although it is Jewish, it contains some of the earliest known Jewish art and this has influenced the development of Christian art. Its frescoes include depictions of biblical scenes which including the story of Moses, the man who led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt according to the Jewish Torah and the Christian Bible.

Here Pharaoh’s daughter finds Moses in a basket in the Nile river:

Another image shows the Israelites worshipping the golden calf when Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God:

In another image it shows the prophet Samuel anointing David, who would become the second king of Israel:

This beautiful image depicts the Jews Mordecai and Esther:

This image depicts the consecration of the Tabernacle (c. 245–256 CE):

The synagogue also contained this beautiful Torah shrine:

The early Christians often incorporated sculptures into their architecture, a tradition that is continued to this day.

Good examples of this is the sarcophagi of Junius Bassus and the Dogmatic sarcophagus, both to be found in the eternal city, Rome.

The Christians often decorated the sarcophagi, or stone coffins, with relief sculptures depicting biblical scenes and Christian symbols.

The Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus is made out of marble and located in the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is adorned with intricate relief sculptures that depict biblical scenes and Christian symbols, including Christ as the Good Shepherd and the story of Jonah, making it an important example of early Christian funerary art.

The Dogmatic sarcophagus is another good example:

These are just some examples of early Christian art. With time it would develop into the pinnacle of artistic expression.

The Last Supper by the great Leonardo da Vinci:

Next time I will look at the art of the Byzantine Empire.

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Thank you.