Mosaics In Christian Art

Mosaics had originally been used in the Roman Empire to cover floors and walls of homes. This practice now continued in Christian buildings but with different subjects of depiction: "the old geometrical designs, interweaving patterns, animal figures and scenes from everyday life or mythology were replaced by symbolic representations of religious history..." (Palanque 49-49). An example of the transition from mythology towards biblical figures and scenes can be seen in the mausoleum of Saint Constanza. These mosaics contain representations of, Christ, the apostles, and animals "which symbolize the evangelists and structures evoking the heavenly Jerusalem" (Palanque 50-50). Mosaics of this time were growing increasingly popular to depict religious history and began to be widely commissioned. Take for instance, the mosaic of the Good Shepherd Separating the Sheep from the Goats that was …show more content…
With the collapse of the Roman empire, devout Christians looked down upon the pagans with contempt; "leaders of the early Christian church encouraged the faithful to destroy all vestiges of polytheism" ("Pagan Artifacts in Christian Art" 3-3). In the painting Saint Apollonia Destroys a Pagan Idol, Apollonia prepares to destroy a statue of the Roman god Bacchus, the god of wine. It is said that the contrast between the clothed Apollonia and the nude Bacchus, provides a stark contrast between the pagan and Christian religion. Symbolically, "Bacchus’s nudity reinforces his association with ... sensuality, while Apollonia’s gown... expresses her self-abnegating chastity" ("Pagan Artifacts in Christian Art" 3-3). Not only is the painting a declaration of Christians ' disdain for the pagan culture, but it also serves as a reminder and encouragement to fellow Christians to stand up for their faith as expressed in the determination of