Peace in Early Christian Art (original) (raw)
Related papers
THE EVOLUTION OF CHRISTIAN ICONOGRAPHY IN THE VI-VII CENTURIES
Icoana Credinței, 2024
The II-III centuries represented the period of the birth of Christian sacred art through Christians imitating the custom of pagans, from whose ranks most of them came, to decorate their graves, sarcophagi or mausoleums with images and even by borrowing some pagan symbols and themes, to which they obviously gave a new, Christian meaning, to which, of course, exclusively Christian themes were added, most often of biblical origin, most of them having a narrative-historical character. In the 4th-5th centuries, under the careful supervision of the Church, a synthesis was made regarding the themes addressed, by abandoning some, by taking over others from the imperial imaginary, prevalence acquiring a dogmatic character, from the desire to express and through the mediation of figurative art, not only through the poetic, transposed into songs, the truths of faith formulated at the first four ecumenical synods, but also in terms of styles. In this second stage of the history of Christian sacred art, especially in the 5th century, as a result of the synthesis achieved in the capital of the empire between the two great artistic currents that manifested themselves in painting, the Hellenistic-Alexandrian and the Syro-Palestinian, was formed the Constantinopolitan painting school and the stylistic features specific to this school crystallized. The present study aims to point out the main characteristics and developments of Christian sacred art in the Byzantine Empire starting from the time of Emperor Justinian I until the outbreak of Byzantine iconoclasm.
https://www.edizioni-santantonio.com/catalogue/details/it/978-613-8-39420-4/via-pulchritudinis
Sacred images, both in the Western and Eastern traditions, distinguish Christianity in a preponderant way compared to all other religions, especially as regards the Orthodox. The images and symbols describe, in their artistic form, the divine word similar to a "color theology" representing a "window on infinity", as well as reflect "an image of the kingdom of God". Since its origins in Christianity, man has tried to integrate the evangelical announcement, oral and written, through images, for this reason Christian art has initially inherited some typical forms of the Greco-Roman styles, which soon took on their main character. Theological character that we know today as "sacred art", with its own rules and traditions. Sacred art is an integral part of the architecture of churches and places of worship, but not only that, it assumes its role of fundamental support in the liturgy. Art is designed, first, to be "read" and to deduce the theological and spiritual message contained therein; this happens by approaching images, figures, objects and colors, tending to decode the biblical-theological background underlying the expressive potential of visual language, essentially composed of a marked symbolism. Christian art, in its oriental iconographic form, is particularly charged with this symbolism; it represents the vocabulary, grammar and syntax that the iconographer has at his disposal to fit into the constant process of developing a real "living language", that of God. The essay approaches sacred art in an attempt to act as a bridge between West and East from different perspectives: historical, theological, liturgical and artistic; aims to make people familiar with the history of Christian art, and in general with oriental iconographic art, in order to learn the fundamental characteristics of the theology of images, and also to understand the main interpretations for the spiritual life. The essay unfolds on some main axes, at first it examines the characteristics of the history of Western art compared with Eastern iconographic art, including the origin of Christian art and the development of its fundamental characteristics; subsequently he approaches the theology of the icon, studied mainly through iconoclasm, with a particular emphasis on the patristic texts of John Damascene and the declarations of the VII Ecumenical Council (Nicaea, 787), as well as the triumph of Orthodoxy (843). Finally, it offers a possible interpretation of iconographic symbolism, with attention to the main types of icons of the Christ Pantocrator, the Acheropita and the Anastasis icon.
The Empty Cross and Images of Christ The cross or the cmcifix-which is older? Convinced that the representation and veneration of the cross itself is an older, more authentic and venerable tradition than that of the cmcifix, my goal was to trace the evolution of the image of the cross in the context of early Christian art: the first examples ofthe cross, the early images of Christ, and the first depictions of Christ on the cross, This essay considers the historical, social, and theological contexts for snch itnages, and several theories to explain why the cross was for so long represented without Christ upon it It begins with a consideration of early Christian communities and the terminus a quo or first manifestations of Christian iconography, and examines the three centuries before the reign of Constantine: the first two centuries of the post-Apostolic Church that leave barely an artistic trace, and the following centmy that reveals the first evidence of artistic development. The early history of the cross reflects the histmy of the Early Chw-ch. There prove to be many reasons for the absence of representations of Christ Cmcifled in the Early Church: cultural, political, social, artistic, and theological; and the subsequent histmy and development of the cmcifix represent major shifts in theology, religious sensibility, spirituality, and mystical language. It is the cross indeed, unadomed by his corpus, that is the more ancient symbol of Cluist This paper may be duplicated
Symbols of Faith: The Evolution of Christian Imagery from Antiquity to the Modern Era
This paper examines the evolution of the Greek letter Chi (X) as a symbol of Christ and its connection to Christian and pre-Christian traditions, with a focus on its integration into the development of the cross as the central Christian emblem. Beginning with Chi’s pre-Christian significance in ancient Greek philosophy, particularly in Plato’s Timaeus, where it represents the cosmic intersection of the celestial equator and ecliptic, the study explores how early Christians adopted this symbol to articulate theological truths. The Chi, often combined with Rho to form the Christogram Chi-Rho (☧), became a cornerstone of early Christian iconography, symbolizing Christ’s name and cosmic sovereignty. The paper further traces the transition from abstract Christograms to the physical cross as a symbol of atonement and redemption, emphasizing Constantine’s pivotal role in popularizing the Chi-Rho after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Variants of the cross, including T-shaped and X-shaped designs, are explored alongside their theological and cultural significance. Modern interpretations of Chi, such as its use in abbreviations like “Xmas” and “Xtian,” reflect its enduring relevance while highlighting misconceptions and cultural shifts. This study also critiques the veneration of icons while advocating for the preservation of art and symbol as cultural heritage. By tracing the journey of Chi (X) and the cross from antiquity to the present, the paper underscores their theological importance and their role in bridging historical, cultural, and denominational divides, offering insights into the adaptability and enduring significance of Christian symbols in a pluralistic world.
Art in the Early Church: The Empty Cross and Images of Christ
2003
The Empty Cross and Images of Christ The cross or the cmcifix-which is older? Convinced that the representation and veneration of the cross itself is an older, more authentic and venerable tradition than that of the cmcifix, my goal was to trace the evolution of the image of the cross in the context of early Christian art: the first examples ofthe cross, the early images of Christ, and the first depictions of Christ on the cross, This essay considers the historical, social, and theological contexts for snch itnages, and several theories to explain why the cross was for so long represented without Christ upon it It begins with a consideration of early Christian communities and the terminus a quo or first manifestations of Christian iconography, and examines the three centuries before the reign of Constantine: the first two centuries of the post-Apostolic Church that leave barely an artistic trace, and the following centmy that reveals the first evidence of artistic development. The early history of the cross reflects the histmy of the Early Chw-ch. There prove to be many reasons for the absence of representations of Christ Cmcifled in the Early Church: cultural, political, social, artistic, and theological; and the subsequent histmy and development of the cmcifix represent major shifts in theology, religious sensibility, spirituality, and mystical language. It is the cross indeed, unadomed by his corpus, that is the more ancient symbol of Cluist This paper may be duplicated
IMAGES AND ICONOLATRY IN CHRISTENDOM, A POST-MODERN APPROACH
This article is primarily concerned with the question of understanding of notions and phenomena such are idolatry, iconolatry, and image in the framework of religious culture in European and Levant history from classic – antique age until late modern times. Since the topic is broad, the article is composed as a short discussion about main ideas and problems connected to the understanding and the interpretations of the notion of idolatry and images that were and are presented in public and scholar discourse. Theoretical basics for his article were taken from the work of several prominent post-modern scholars and researchers of scientific and academic fields of visual culture and art history such as Hans Belting, Michael Baxandall, David Freedberg, Peter Burke. In addition to this, the semiotic approach, as well as theory of media and communication was also engaged in the analysis conducted in the article. Keywords: Images, Christianity, cult, object, icons, visual
Iconography of Peace Сongresses during the Formation of the Westphallian System
2021
The formation of the first state system in Europe took place from the conclusion of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, as a result of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), to the Utrecht (1713), Rastatt-Baden (1714) and Nystad Congresses (1721) which finished the end of the war of the Spanish Succession and the Northern war. The legal fixation of the Westphallian system was accompanied by its public perception and acceptance. First of all, this was demonstrated by International Congresses, which were not only a common negotiation process, but also a place of representation of the significance and culture of each state. In fact, the European Congress was a carefully designed triumph of Рeace within the continent, which required considerable funds, was widely covered in the press and glorified in celebrations, paintings, plastic art, release of commemorative medals, poetry and even fashion. The article presents the most striking examples of iconography of Peace Congresses. The author belie...