Learn how to identify Jesus in early Christian art. Discover the arms-raised woman called the catacomb Orante.

1. An Introduction to
Early Christian Art

2. Please note:
All of the following examples are from
3rd-
and 4th-
century Christian sarcophagi.

3. How can I identify Jesus in early art?
• Jesus was often depicted using a wand during
his miracles.

4. Jesus used his wand to multiply bread in baskets (left)
and to change jugs of water into wine (right).

5. How can I identify Jesus in early art?
• Jesus was often depicted using a wand during
his miracles.
• Before the last two decades of the 4th
century,
Jesus was often depicted beardless.

6. Beardless Jesus
healed the lame
man, who then
picked up and
carried his bed
on his back.

7. How can I identify Jesus in early art?
• Jesus was often depicted using a wand for
during his miracles.
• Before the last two decades of the 4th
century,
Jesus was often depicted beardless.
• Jesus was usually depicted with longer hair
than the men around him.

8. Long-haired Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate

9. Longer haired Jesus performs
the miracles of the bread and the wine.

10. How can I identify women in early art?
• Women usually had longer dresses.

11. A woman wearing a long skirt
depicted between two scenes with Jesus.

12. How can I identify women in early art?
• Women usually had longer dresses.
• Before Constantine, some artists – not all –
depicted Christian women without veils
and with short hair.

13. Pre-Constantine depiction of a short haired
unveiled woman with doves and sheep.

14. How can I identify women in early art?
• Women usually had longer dresses.
• Before Constantine, some artists – not all –
depicted Christian women without veils
and with short hair.
• After Constantine, almost all artists
depicted Christian women with veils.

15. Post-Constantine depiction of Jesus with a veiled woman

16. How can I identify the Biblical
scenes on a sarcophagus?

17. With close attention to details, you can
recognize most of the iconography.

18. Jesus changed jugs of water into wine.

19. Jesus multiplied bread in baskets.

20. Jesus healed the blind.

21. Jesus, Peter and the crowing cock

22. Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb.
Mary fell at his feet.

23. The baby in the manger

24. Jesus healed the woman with the issue
of blood who touched his hem.

25. Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac.

26. Moses received a scroll of the law.

27. This was the tomb of a man
named “Claudiano.”

28. This was a portrait of Claudiano.

29. Some scenes are less well known to us, but
most art historians agree what they depict.

30. An apostle—Peter or Paul—was arrested.

31. The apostle baptized his jailers.

32. There is no agreement, however,
about this female figure.

33. This female figure, called the Orante,
appeared often in the earliest Christian art.

34. Graydon F. Snyder says, “In the Christian
culture that emerged about A.D. 180, no
symbol occurs more frequently and integrally
than this female figure with lifted arms.”

35. Snyder says, “She must be the most important
symbol in early Christian art.”

36. Karen Jo Torjesen says, “Although male
figures are occasionally found in this
traditional posture, the overwhelming
number of orantes are female.”

37. Torjesen says this figure is “evidence of
the earliest tradition of women preachers.”

38. Some say she is the symbol of piety.

39. Others say she is the symbol of the church.

40. Yet others say she is the symbol of the soul.

41. Some call her the portrait of a dead woman.

42. Some call her the portrait of a dead woman.
But here she appears on the tomb of a man.

43. In the 1800s, some researchers suggested
early Christians knew her as Mary.

44. Other researchers said that was ridiculous.

45. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

46. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

47. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

48. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

49. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

50. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

51. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

52. Who or what do you think this
female figure in the center
of these biblical scenes depicted?

53. Why do you think it is only the woman
whose name we do not know?

54. Art as Text
By Ally Kateusz
In honor of Robin Jensen