ARTH 212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Christian Art, Catacombs, Roman Art
2 Feb 2016
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The emperor constantine, christianity and the arts: pre-constantinian art. Christian art began within the restricted confines of minority communities, initially persecuted for their beliefs. Over 2 millennia of existence > universal presence in christendom. Kings and rules used christian imagery to bolster ideologies and political (public +private spaces) rhetoric universal world-view. During the late middle ages, christian art was an expression of a. Offers illustrations of biblical stories and theological messages. Express political views, philosophical ideas and cultural identities. Source: old testament, life of christ and the apostles. Judaism had prohibited pictorial representation of god and any representational religious art > idolatry. To ornament oneself is like to take away the purity bishop clement. According to the 2nd amendment, idols are made by man, which contain no divine essence, thus not appropriate to represent the divine. As christianity developed in rome, it took the greco-roman artistic and social culture, adapting pagan imagery form images of christ.
