Art

Most art historians date identifiable examples of Christian visual art to no earlier than the beginning of the third century. Explanations for this seemingly late emergence of Christian visual culture vary. For instance, archeologists have found decorative terracotta wall tiles bearing representations of the Good Shepherd, Noah, Abraham offering Isaac, or Jesus raising Lazarus, images that conveyed aspects of the Christian faith, illustrated key Bible stories, and identified their owner's religious affiliation. The conversion of the Roman emperor was a watershed moment for the church and, by extension, for Christian art. Nevertheless, based on the single example of the Dura-Europos baptistery and some of the stylistic parallels to Roman wall painting in domestic structures, it seems likely that church-wall frescoes or floor mosaics shared certain themes and painting techniques with the catacomb frescoes. Fresco painting on tomb walls had been a Roman custom prior to the Christian adaptation of that tradition.