Early
Christian Art
– Christian
Artwork and
Biblical
Paintings
The scriptures have for many
centuries been a source of
inspiration for Christian painters
and sculptors. They have
influenced great artists in many
eras, leaving behind masterful
examples of Medieval Christian
art and religious Renaissance art
for us to explore and enjoy. Let
us take a deeper look at the
history of Christian artwork,
Christian sculpture, and famous
biblical paintings.
A Brief History of Early Christian Art
Tracing the early days of Christian artwork can be a difficult task to undertake. Before 100
CE, Christians were a persecuted minority, so the chances of them being allowed to create
art at this time were rather slim. At that time, Christianity was a small fringe religion with
very few followers and little to no public recognition or support, so Christian painters
would not have had the luxury of financial support from patrons.
Symbolism in Early Christian Art
Under the Roman Empire in the earliest days of Christianity, Christian artwork was intentionally
ambiguous so that the Christian undertones could not be noticed by the eyes of the Roman
oppressors. They incorporated Christian themes subtly into imagery that was accepted within the
predominantly Pagan culture. The first examples of Christian art still surviving today were found
in the catacombs of Rome, on surfaces in Christian burial tombs, dated to be from somewhere
between the 2nd to 4th centuries.
To hide the meaning of these early Christian
artworks, artists represented the figure of
Jesus symbolically with pictogram symbols
such as the peacock, lamb, fish, or anchor.
The symbol of the cross was not used to
represent Jesus until many centuries later,
as in the early days of Christianity,
crucifixion was a common form of
punishment for various offenses and
therefore would not have been exclusively
linked with Christianity, but rather with
incivility.
Early Christian Art Before 313 CE
Besides the early Roman occupation discrimination against Christianity and Christian art, several
other possible factors could have resulted in a lack of art representing Christian figures. The people
of that time were influenced by several different theologies and philosophies; some believed that
God could be experienced directly, others thought he couldn’t, and others thought that if he could,
then he should not be physically depicted.
Photo of a painting of Jesus healing the paralytic
from the wall of the baptistery in the Dura-Europa
church, circa 232 A.D. It is one of the earliest visual
depictions of Jesus. It was excavated by the Yale-
French Excavations between 1928-37 in present-day
Syria and now resides in the Yale University Art
Gallery in New Haven
Early Christian art from this period often created
“abbreviated” scenes, where well-known religious
incidents were represented by one to four figures.
This fitted in with the Roman style of
compartmentalizing the art in the room with various
geometric layouts. A popular subject at this time was the
representation of biblical figures being rescued from
mortal danger in some way, such as biblical paintings
depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac, Noah kneeling in prayer
in the ark, the resurrection of Jesus, and Jonah and the
Whale.
Early Christian Art After 313 CE
Emperor Constantine defeated Mexnethius in
312 CE, after which he became the main
patron of Christianity, transforming the
religious landscape and the associated
buildings dramatically. After he granted
religious tolerance to Romans in 313 CE with
the Edict of Milan, Rome changed towards an
increasingly Christian territory. It was the
responsibility of the reigning emperor to
create places of worship for his subjects, and
these temples reflected the provincial
religious faith at the time of his reign. It was
no different for Constantine and Christianity.
The small and discreet buildings usually used
for religious worship soon proved to be too
small after Christianity experienced an
explosion in growth.
A close-up of the monument of Roman emperor Constantine I, in front of San Lorenzo
Maggiore basilica. The statue was built by means of the “Edict of Milan” (Milan was then the
capital of the Roman empire) in 313, which was a letter proclaiming religious toleration in
the Roman Empire
Picture of the prophet Jonah being thrown
into the Sea. From the catacomb of Saint
Peter and Saint Marcellino, Rome, Italy
Christian sculptures from this period are very
rare and mostly small in stature. Common
motifs such as the Good Shepherd were
prevalent as it was a symbolic figure found in
many religions and therefore not strictly
associated with Christian artwork. There
were, however, about 270 small figurines
unearthed in modern Turkey, and some of
these represent patently Christian
iconography such as Jonah and the Whale.
By the end of the pre-Constantinian period, the portrayal of Jesus in Christian art had become
accepted and fully developed.
Typical scenes from this period depict various stories from the New Testament, as well as
depictions of the passion of Christ. Many variations of his image were depicted at this time,
from a beardless and short-haired stocky fellow to the long-haired, thin-faced figure that has
since become the most commonly adopted portrayal of Jesus.
Thus, Constantine set about constructing churches such as the Church of St. Peter in Rome, the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as well as many churches in the newly named capital
city of Constantinople.
Interior of Saint Peter’s, Rome (c. 1754) by Giovanni Paolo PaninitingsNational Gallery of Art,
A major challenge that faced the architects was deciding on a new layout and form for
religious worship, as the previous designs were created for a different functionality than the
Christian method of indoor communion. These new churches needed to be large to house the
ever-growing Christian fellowship and to make a visible distinction between the faithless and
the faithful.
Importance of the Christian Church
Once Christianity had been legalized as a religion, the styles of Christian art began to expand even
more. As more Christian churches were constructed, and most of the public (both rich and poor)
adopted Christianity, the type of art that was present in the churches became more distinguished to
suit its surroundings and worshippers.
The influence of the Christian church on the art of this time was great, as more complicated and
extravagant artworks were commissioned to artists, as seen by the surviving frescos and mosaics
from this period.
Naturally, the dominant theme that was seen within Christian art was
Christianity, with many sacred images from the religion being depicted in
the numerous artworks that were produced. During the Medieval period,
the Christian church dominated every aspect of society’s lives. All
individuals, regardless of their status, vehemently believed in the
existence of God, Heaven, and Hell, and that the only way to enter Heaven
was to abide by the rules of the Roman Catholic church.
Since its starting point throughout the first century of the Roman Empire,
Christianity immediately began to spread around the world. Thus, over
time, the Christian church quickly became the biggest and most powerful
benefactor of the arts, as many paintings and sculptures were
commissioned for the inside of churches.
This meant that the subject matter in these artworks focused solely on
religion, as one of the aims was to create an identity for the religion and
to draw in parishioners.
Resurrection of Christ
One of the most commonly depicted themes that have been fundamental to the
Christian religion and in Christian art is the resurrection of Christ. Whether
portrayed as part of a series of works or in a single instance, the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus exists as the most integral component of Christianity and
makes up the majority of the artworks found in churches.
Through different periods, the theme of resurrection has been explored and
displayed in a variety of ways, as each art period had influence on the artworks
that were created.
Mosaic Art
An art form that proved to be incredibly popular during the early Christian art
period, and more hard-wearing than traditional fresco paintings, was mosaic art.
This type of art formed a crucial part of early Christian art, however, our
knowledge surrounding mosaic art is somewhat limited as only certain artworks
have survived from the first half of the 4th century.
As Christianity became an official religion of the Roman empire at the start of the
4th century, grand Christian basilicas were scheduled to be constructed.
Within these new places of worship,
artworks were needed to adorn the walls
and ceilings. Thus, magnificent and
opulent glass-colored mosaics were used,
which quickly became very popular. The
four main basilicas of Rome were said to
“shine like Heaven on Earth” thanks to
their use of mosaics, with some of these
mosaics still seen today if you visit them.
The use of mosaic in art attested to the
sheer strength of Christianity during this
time, as it was an extremely expensive
and delicate material to work with.
The early Christian basilicas that were
adorned with mosaic art demonstrated the
strong influence of Christianity over
society, with these stunning basilicas
reminding us of that power even today. In
the late 16th century, an official Vatican
mosaic workshop was established in the
Vatican City to pay homage to this art
form, and still exists today.
Religious Renaissance Art
During the 13th and 14th centuries, churches became massive patrons of Christian art and
commissioned and bought large quantities of work from Christian painters. Many members of the
public were unable to write at this time, so art was used to help them envision the scriptures,
creating a sense of respect and awe amongst the community. Churches hoped to use the art to
create a deeper connection with their followers, hoping that the scenes of salvation and
damnation would inspire or terrify them into being more devoted.
Christian artists from the Early Renaissance started adding a touch of realism to their art,
making the figures look more true to life and the settings more natural and realistic.
Madonna and Child (c. 1300) by Duccio di Buoninsegna
Duccio di Buoninsegna was an extremely
influential Renaissance artist of the early 14th century,
and his version of the Madonna and child is thought to
have been painted sometime around the year 1300.
Compared to larger versions of the Madonna and child
found in churches and altars, this painting is
comparatively small and was most likely created to be
a personal image for devotional use.
The painting’s use for devotional purposes can be hinted
at by the burnt edges, most likely obtained from the use
of candles at a small altar at its base.
The Last Supper (c. 1495) by Leonardo da Vinci
Da Vinci has tried to capture the moment of consternation among his followers as he
announces that one of the apostles would eventually betray him. Each apostle is
depicted with a different reaction to his revelation, all displaying varying degrees of
shock, anger, and disbelief. As was common with other paintings of the last supper
from that era, da Vinci has positioned all the apostles at one side of the table so that
none of them have their backs facing the viewer. Most other versions of this scene
have Judas placed on the other end of the table away from all the apostles, but in his
rendition, Leonardo placed Judas in the shadows.
The Creation of Adam (1512) by Michelangelo
Michelangelo painted this famous fresco from 1508 until 1512, and it forms part of the ceiling of
the Sistine Chapel. Considered one of the most famous biblical paintings in the world, it depicts
the moment God gave life to Adam.
Michelangelo was originally commissioned to paint the twelve apostles on the sides that support
the ceiling, but he managed to convince Pope Julius to give him free artistic reign, suggesting a
far more complex scheme than initially devised.
God’s right arm is outstretched with his
index finger reaching to touch Adam’s
finger, thereby bestowing life upon him.
Adam’s left arm is stretched out, a mirror
image of the pose of God, a symbolic
reflection that man was made in the
image of God. Much debate has arisen as
to the identities of the twelve figures
surrounding God.
It is now widely accepted that the female
under God’s right arm represents Eve and
that the other figures represent the
children of Eve, the human race.
Transfiguration (1516 – 1520) by Raphael
Commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici and created for the Narbonne Cathedral in
France, this altarpiece was the last painting by Raphael, the Italian Renaissance master.
He worked on it from 1516 until he died in 1520.
From the time of its creation until early in the 20th century, it was regarded as the
most famous oil painting in the known world.
