 Pola
Casket
This late 4th-century reconstructed work shows the shrine of St. Peter in old St. Peter's (c.317-335), as well as other Christian imagery. Found near the town of Pola, originally it was probably a reliquary. |
Plaque with Scene of Saint's Relics
Translation Probably from the mid-fifth century, this scene may depict the entrance of the relics of St. Stephen into Constantinople in 421. Note the static and highly regularized qualities of the layout and figures. |
 Brescia
Lipsanotheca Reliquary or commuion bread box;
later 4th
century; Brescia. This piece is carved on all sides and on the top with 36 scenes from the Old and New Testaments. From top left: an orant; Jonah reclining; Moses with the brazen serpent; Peter and Sapphira occupy the center, while Moses is found in bulrushes, kills a man, manna arrives and Judas hangs. |
 Side
detail of left This end view shows the raising of Lazarus o the left and the healing of the blind man to the left in the center. Moses and the burning bush, 3 m3n i the furnace and Moses w/The Law at top; at bottom Jacob gets Rachel and fights an angel. |
 Marriage
Diptych (?) Very late 4th century, celebrating the Nichomachi and Symmachi families of Rome, both staunchly pagan in an age of persecution (by Christians). In the left, the priestess, dressed in classical neo-Attic style makes an offering, a highly classicized repudiation of Christianity. She sprinkles incense on the small fire. |
 Consular
Diptych Goddesses, perhaps Athena and Demeter, grace these clearly pagan consular diptych wings, their stance and symbols of identity mimicking those of the emperors in their diptychs. In late Rome, religion and administration were never too distant one from the other. |
 Lampadii
Panel The wealthy and/or powerful Mr. Lampadii presides in a box at the Roman Circus Maximus, presumably flanked by his two sons. The inscription overhead indicates his identity ("of the Lampadii"), and the race is underway below. The hieratic relationship of the three men is typical of the iconography of imperial and civil servants, and will be absorbed into Christian iconography of man and God. Lampadii is a patron, provider of the games, and a man whose influence and distance is suggested by his distant gaze and stylized features. |
 Wedding
at Cana Panel
This fragment of an Ivory panel gives a lively rendering of the wedding at Cana, with the outer figures pouring water into the stone wine jars, and the steward in the center about to taste the miraculous vintage. The wide framing strip at the bottom probably indicates that this was the bottom of a rather higher rectangular composition. |
Consular Diptych of Anicius Petronius Probus, 406
This diptych celebrates the Emperor Honorius, who is shown in both panels. In the left he holds a banner topped by the Chi-Rho and displaying "You will conquer always in the name of Christ; in his left hand he holds an orb. To the right he is armed with a shield and holds a sceptre. It is currently in Florence. |
 The
Anastasios Diptych This diptych (36 cm high and now in Paris) Like Lampadii, Consul Anastasios (517), shown in both leaves, presides over a circus lion hunt to the left, and possibly a judgment scene or dramatic performance to the right. The inscription is in Latin, and the diptych may have been for distribution in Italian territories. |
 Christ
and Theotokos Dating from the sixth century, these panels measuring 29x13 cm depict Christ with Saints Peter and Paul on the left, and Mary with the Christ child and angels. Treatments of the background are almost identical, while the faces, wrinkled on the left, smooth on the right, distinguish the two. See Lowden p. 82 |
 Gallic
Peter & Paul
These two leaves are said to depict Peter and Paul as two outer leaves of a triptych, which would have had Christ in the middle. Both have hands covered out of respect for sacred things: Peter handles the Keys and Paul a book, presumably the Gospels. The attempts at classical wet drapery and columns are defeated by the naive, (and contra-traditionally beardless) faces. |
 The
Barberini Ivory Diptych wing. Constantinople. Early 6th century; 34 cm high. Louvre. Justinian(?) conquers; God above rules and blesses; his general offers victory; Earth lies beneath his horse offering her bounty; enemies grovel. The craftsmanship is exquisite, especially in the high relief of the horse |
 Throne
of Maximian Possibly made in Constantinople and sent to Ravenna for Bishop Maximian (546-554), it is constructed of ivory panels with frames of winding vines and grapes. 7 of 16 from the chairback survive and depict Christ's life. The sides contain scenes from the Genesis story of Joseph, and the four evangelists flank John the Baptist on the front. John holds a medallion with the Lamb of God. Maximinian's name is over John. See Lowden p. 116-117 |