Symbols of Christian Art
Dog
AND
Dove
Dog: fidelity (marriage), loyalty, watchfulness
Dove: holy spirit, purity, peace, divine favor
Zeus/Jupity
AND
Hera/Juno
Zeus/Jupiter: main guy with lightning bolts, god of the sky
Hera/Juno: Zeus's wife, goddess of marriage, peacock
Linear Perspective
AND
Aerial Perspective
Linear perspective: creates depth using geometric linesn (ex: vanishing point and foreshortening)
Aerial perspective: uses visual cues like color to demonstrate distance
Annunciation
AND
Adoration
Annunciation: Mary and angel Gabriel
Adoration: nativity, wise men
Painterly
AND
Abstract
Painterly: you can see the brush strokes in the painting
Abstract: recognizable but distorted image
Dragon
AND
Eagle
Dragon: Satan, evil, chaos, paganism
Eagle: inspiration, resurrection, St. John
Athena/Manerva
AND
Apollo
Athena/Manerva: armored woman, goddess of war, owl, wisdom, logic
Apollo: lire (instrument), God of the sun, bow and arrow, chariot
What are the 3 reasons Christianity was outlawed by the Romans?
1. Adoption of the Exposed
2. Private Celebrations
3. Cheering in the streets during the Roman fires
Madonna Enthroned
AND
Madonna and Child
Madonna Enthroned: Mary on the throne w/ Jesus
Madonna and Child: Mary holding Jesus (NO THRONE)
Pyramidal
AND
Linear
Pyramidal: triangles are emphasized in the painting
Linear: one point connecting to another (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal)
Fish
AND
Lion
Fish: Christ, baptism, faith, believers
Lion: Christ, power, resurrection, courage, St. Mark
Artemis/Diana
AND
Aphrodite
Artemis/Diana: goddess of the moon, twins w/ Apollo, bow and arrow
Aphrodite: goddess of love, beauty, dove, golden apple, shell
Who is St. Benedict? Who is St. Simone?
Benedict: Established rule in monasteries/ basically created them, depicted in art w/ a black robe, broken cup, and poison bread
Simone: One of the apostles of Jesus, developed sociology, depicted in art holding or standing with a saw as a symbol of his martyrdom
Baptism
AND
Crucifixtion
Baptism: river Jordan, Jesus and John, angels, towels
Crucifixion: Jesus on the cross
St. Sebastian
AND
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Sebastian: arrows, tied up, martyr
St. Francis: poverty, 3 knots, nature, brown robe
Ox
AND
Snake
Ox: sacrifice, strength, service, St. Luke
Snake: sin, temptation, Satan OR Jesus, healing, wisdom
Dionisis/Bacchus
AND
Demeter/Ceres
Dionisis/Bacchus: God of wine, grapes
Demeter/Ceres: God of grain, farming
What is the significance of the Chi-Rho Monogram and what does it look like?
It is a representation of Jesus Christ and imperial victory for early Christians. It looks like an X with a P in the middle.
Deposition
AND
Lamentation
Deposition: Jesus being taken off cross, ladder, Mary holding hand
Lamentation: no cross, Mary holding Jesus' head, other people/angels
St. John
AND
St. Michael
St. John: camel skin, cross staff with banner, wilderness
St. Michael: wings, sword, armor
Blue (color)
AND
Swan
Blue: heaven, truth, divinity, virgin Mary
Swan: purity, grace, transformation
Hermes/Mercury
AND
Poseidon/Neptune
Hermes/Mercury: winged shoes, messenger of the gods
Poseidon/Neptune: God of the sea, trident
What was the impact of Constantine and Augustine in the formation of early Christianity?
Constantine: issued the Edict of Milan, which granted religious freedom, by convening at the First Council of Nicaea, which helped define Christian doctrine.
Augustine: shaped Western theology through his writings on sin and grace, predestination, the trinity, and the problem of evil.
Pieta
AND
Last Judgement
AND
Resurrection
Pieta: no cross, just Mary holding Jesus, emotion filled
Last Judgement: Christ in center, angels w/ trumpets
Resurrection: Christ above tomb, holding white flag, soldiers sleeping
Name each of the depictions of the apostles in art (4 of them).
Matthew: angel or winged man
Mark: winged lion
Luke: winged ox
John: eagle