We'll begin with an example of Roman art. It focuses on mythology and the gods. This is a wall painting from Odyssey Landscapes series in a house on the Esquiline Hill in Rome named The Laestrygonians Hurling Rocks at the Fleet of Odysseus. It tells of one of Odysseus' adventures.
A great example of early Christian art in Rome is found in the ceiling paintings of the Catacombs found throughout the city. These particular Catacombs are the Catacombs of SS. Pietro e Marcellino. Rome began the center of the world for Christianity after the emperor Constantine legalized it with the Edict of Milan in 312 AD. The style of these paintings are very similar to those of the Odyssey Landscapes and the other pre-Christian Roman artwork. However the subject matter is different. Instead of depicting mythical stories about gods the Christians depict different bible verses in their ceiling paintings.
Next is an example of architecture from the early Christian period, St. Peter's Basilica, located in Rome. It is built on the actual site of St. Peter's grave. In fact, the altar is built over the exact spot that he was buried. The design of the basilica is the same style of the ancient roman law courts that were also called basilicas. The design features a long nave with an alcove in the center and two wings.
In the fourth century Constantine moved the capital of the the empire to Constantinople, which is present day Istanbul in Turkey. The artwork created here was called Byzantine art. Icons were very prominent throughout Byzantine artwork. Icons usually depicted Christ, the Madonna, or saints. They were used to help the viewer focus in prayer. They had a characteristically gold background and rich primary colors were used for the figures in the icon. Hagia Sophia is an example of an ancient church that held many icons. It became a mosque and now is used as a museum.
The moving of the Roman empire's capital from Rome to Constantinople created a divide in the empire- the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire. That division is still pertinent today and visible especially in the Catholic Church. The Western branch of the church became the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern branch became the Eastern Orthodox Church.
In the sixth century Ravenna, Italy was known as the Western Empire's capital. Ravenna is famous for its beautiful mosaics. An important mosaic is found in a church named San Vitale, the portraits of the emperor Justinian and his wife, the empress Theodora. The mosaic features the army to one side and the clergy to the other which shows that the emperors wanted to be viewed as powerful and holy. There are many pagan symbols found in these mosaics and in other artworks coming from Ravenna. They were not necessarily viewed as pagan symbols anymore. For example the peacock is featured on coffins as a symbol or eternal life.
San Vitale is a testament to the changing times in the empire. Not only in religion, but also in safety. The Barbarians were beginning their attacks on the empire. This is evident because the walls of the church were fortified. The church is also a testament to Roman architecture. It features the Roman arch and several domes (which were still growing in popularity).
The Barbarians were beginning to invade the empire-groups such as the Huns, Saxons and Vandals. Their artwork is mainly found in metal pieces, such as brooches. Many of their artwork is found at Sutton Hoo where Barbarians buried ships with their dead captains in the seventh century. The Barbarians were sea faring people, so their ships were very important to them. Their artwork normally depicts animals or other designs of some meaning on them. Below is a Barbarian brooch.
The Vikings were also invaders of the sea and experts with metal. The circular pendent is an example of Viking art. Viking art focused on designed inspired by nature, such as the circular design found on the pendent below.
8th century- Charlemagne was the hero of the Middle Ages. He introduced the idea of Camelot, a society based on intellect and chivalry accompanied by a higher appreciation of the arts and education. Churches built to be fortresses were very common in this time because of all the attacks from the invaders. (Before Charlemagne times were rough because of the Barbarian "eye for an eye" type mentality spreading throughout the empire). The church below is the Palace of Charlemagne located in Germany. It features the Roman Arch and columns. The dome is also prevalent.
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