Early Christian Art

Essay by beegeeCollege, UndergraduateB+, February 2009

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For thousands of years, the major factors influencing a developing society are things like religion, government, and art. When people study history, art does not seem to play such an important role. However, art helps us understand how a society feels, thinks, and looks at the surroundings which in they live. Ecclesiastical art, commonly known as Christian art, dates back to the first and second centuries. The first influences of Christian art were believed to be Roman in nature. Many historians feel that the Christian art influence came from the east, particularly the Orient. The first known works of Christian art were found in the Roman catacombs. The works found there were dated to the first or second century. The problem with finding Christian art during the first and second centuries was due to the religion still being quite small. During this time it is believed to be more decoration then really art.

Historians feel that the first glimpses of art are not pagan, but rather ornamentation. There also seems to be no real pattern of items that can be considered Christian other than a noticeable recurrence of vines. Symbolism is seen more in the second century in public cemeteries. These works of art were rather different than the pagan art during this same time. Two examples of this would be the dove and the fish. Both of these symbols could be recognized by normal people, but were not used in pagan decoration, thus having to be brought about by some type of Christian influence. After the triumph of Constantine in around 313 A.D, came the main birth of Christian art. Examples would include art seen on the walls of Roman catacombs, also the believed figure of Christ changed from a beardless good shepherd to a bearded man. Christ also...