Chapter 8: Late Antiquity
Preview: This chapter surveys the art and architecture produced in the Late Antique world
between 192 and 526 CE, both before and after the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine, by
Jewish and Christian people. The artworks reflect their evolving cultural and religious practices,
and include paintings, sculpture, early examples of illuminated manuscripts, and structures of
worship. The artworks of this period are Roman in style and technique, but they differ in subject
and often in function, and they form the foundation of art and architecture in the Middle Ages.
Key Art Terms: lunette, typology, mosaic, pebble mosaic, tesserae, head cluster, nimbus,
repoussé, illuminated manuscripts, folio, codex, rotulus, vellum, parchment, continuous narration,
diptych
Key Architecture Terms: baptistery, catacombs, loculi, cubicula, basilica, atrium, narthex, nave,
aisle, transept, apse, baldacchino, arcade, clerestory, central-plan building, cruciform, ambulatory
Key Place Names: Dura-Europos, Jerusalem, Constantinople, Ravenna, Rome
Key Figures: Justin Martyr, Constantine, Theodosius I
Key Religious Terms: Torah, Pentateuch, YHWH or Yahweh, confraternity, martyr, prefiguration,
orants, Messiah, Christ, liturgy, Theotokos
Lecture Notes:
Introductory Notes:
Late Antiquity:
Dates _____________
Dura-Europos and Jewish Art
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Interior of the synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria, with wall paintings of biblical themes, ca.
245-256
o Materials:
o Scale/size:
o Subjects represented:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Samuel Anoints David, detail of main interior wall of the synagogue, Dura-Europos
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
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o Stylistic features:
Ark of the Covenant and two menorahs, painted wall in a Jewish catacomb, Villa Torlonia,
Rome, Italy, third century
o Medium:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Restored cutaway view of the Christian community house, Dura-Europos, Syria, ca. 240256
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
The Catacombs and Funerary Art
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Via Dino Compagni Catacomb, Rome, ca. 320-360
o Description:
The Good Shepherd, the story of Jonah, and orants, frescoed ceiling of a cubiculum in the
Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, Italy, early fourth century
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Santa Maria Antiqua Sarcophagus with philosopher, orant, and Old and New Testament
scenes, ca. 270
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, from Rome, Italy, ca. 359
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Catacomb of Commodilla, Rome, ca. 370-385
o Description:
Christ as the Good Shepherd, ca. 300-350
o Medium/materials:
o Size/scale:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
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Christ seated, ca. 350-375
o Description:
Architecture and Mosaics
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Restored cutaway view and plan of Old Saint Peter’s, Rome, Italy, begun ca. 319
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Santa Sabina, Rome, Italy, 422-432
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
West doors, Santa Sabina, Rome, ca. 432
o Description:
Interior of Santa Costanza, Rome, Italy, ca. 337-351
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Plan of Santa Costanza, Rome, Italy, ca. 337-351
o Description:
o Architectural features:
Detail of the mosaic in the ambulatory vault of Santa Costanza
o Description:
o Medium/materials:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
Christ as Sol Invictus, Mausoleum of the Julii, late third century
o Medium/materials:
o Subject & significance:
The Parting of Abraham and Lot, mosaic in the nave of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy,
432-440
o Description:
o Medium/materials:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 425
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Interior of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 425
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Decorative features:
Christ as Good Shepherd, mosaic from the entrance wall of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
o Description:
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o Medium/materials:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
Orthodox Baptistery, Ravenna, ca. 458
o Description:
o Significance:
Interior of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy, dedicated 504
o Description:
o Architectural features:
o Function & significance:
Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, mosaic from the top register of the nave wall of
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna
o Description:
o Medium/materials:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
Hagios Georgios, Thessaloniki, ca. 390-450
o Description:
o Significance:
Luxury Arts
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Vatican Vergil, ca. 400-420
o Description:
o Medium/materials:
o Function & significance:
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Old Farmer of Corycus, folio 7 verso of the Vatican Vergil, ca. 400-420
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
Vienna Genesis, early sixth century
o Description:
o Medium/materials:
o Function & significance:
Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, folio 7 recto of the Vienna Genesis
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
Story of Jacob, Vienna Genesis, early sixth century
o Description:
Rossano Gospels, early sixth century
o Description:
o Medium/materials:
o Function & significance:
Christ before Pilate, folio 8 verso of the Rossano Gospels
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o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
“Mildenhall Treasure”
o Discovery date:
o Findsite:
o Description:
Oceanus and Nereids, and drinking contest between Bacchus and Hercules, “Great Dish,”
from Mildenhall, England, mid-fourth century
o Material/medium:
o Size/scale:
o Subjects:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Suicide of Judas and Crucifixion, plaque from a box, ca. 420
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Woman sacrificing at an altar, right leaf of the diptych of the Nicomachi and the Symmachi,
ca. 400
o Medium/materials:
o Subject:
o Stylistic features:
o Function & significance:
Concluding Notes:
Exercises for Study:
1. Compare and contrast Ancient Roman and Early Christian architectural techniques and
forms. Give example of each to illustrate your points.
2. Compare and contrast Ancient Roman and Early Christian sculptural reliefs, their form and
subjects. Give examples of each to illustrate your points.
3. Compare and contrast the following pairs of artworks, using the points of comparison as a
guide.
A. Church of Santa Costanza (Figs. 8-11 and 8-12); interior of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo (Fig. 818):
o Structural features
o Plan
o Mosaics
B. Paintings from the synagogue at Dura-Europos (Figs. 8-2 and 8-3); mosaics in Santa
Maria Maggiore (Fig. 8-14):
o Medium/materials:
o Subjects:
o Relation to Jewish and Christian tradition:
C. Illumination from Vatican Vergil (Fig. 8-20); illumination from Rossano Gospels (Fig. 822):
o Date
o Subject
o Formal qualities: perspective, illusionism, modeling