During the persecution of Christians under the Roman Empire, Christian art was necessarily and deliberately furtive and ambiguous, using imagery that was shared with pagan … See more

In the 4th century, the rapidly growing Christian population, now supported by the state, needed to build larger and grander public buildings for worship than the mostly discreet meeting places they had been using, which were typically in or among domestic … See more

• Oldest churches in the world See more

• 267 plates from Wilpert, Joseph, ed., Die Malereien der Katakomben Roms (Tafeln)("Paintings in the Roman catacombs, (Plates)"), Freiburg im Breisgau, 1903, from Heidelberg University Library]
• See more

A general assumption that early Christianity was generally aniconic, opposed to religious imagery in both theory and practice … See more

With the final legalization of Christianity, the existing styles of Christian art continued to develop, and take on a more monumental and iconic character. Before long very large Christian churches began to be constructed, and the majority of the rich elite adapted … See more

1. ^ Jensen 2000, p. 15–16.
2. ^ van der Meer, F., 27 uses "roughly from 200 to 600".
3. ^ Syndicus 1962, p. 10–14.
4. ^ Syndicus 1962, p. 30-32. See more