Summary: Catacomb Of Saints Peter And Marcellinus

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After the beginning of Christian conversion in Rome, depictions of Christ emerged throughout Europe. Christian artwork dates back to the third and fourth centuries. In early Christian artwork, the portrayal of Christ as the Good Shepherd became a favored subject. The central medallion of the Good Shepherd, the story of Jonah, and orants in the Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus represents the early period of Christian art. In later centuries, Christ is still portrayed as the Good Shepherd in religious buildings and grounds. Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Huntsville, Alabama is the home of a larger-than-life size statue of Christ as the Good Shepherd. These two pieces of art from two dissimilar time periods are alike as well as distinct.…show more content…
The Good Shepherd painting is frescoed on the ceiling of the Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus. Consequently, the subject is a flat two-dimensional figure. The painting displays no movement of Christ’s clothes nor of the sheep on his shoulders. The lamb appears to be lifeless compared to being full of life like one would assume. In opposition to the painting’s medium, the statue is casted in bronze. This medium allows for the artist to create movement in the piece. Movement is captured in Christ’s clothes as well as the lamb. With the lamb’s neck facing the opposite direction from Christ’s, the lamb creates a life-like movement; unlike the painting. Moreover, the sculpture embodies the ripples and folds of Jesus’ toga as if he was wearing authentic flowing cloth. Also detailed into the statue but not portrayed in the painting, is the movement of Christ’s hair and the lamb’s wool. Sculpting the tufts of the lamb’s wool into different directions adds movement to the statue. Unlike the statue, the painting does not incorporate such movement. The use of these two contrasting mediums creates two perspectives of the same subject. Hence, two distinct outcomes occur between the

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