Late Antique Portraits and Early Christian Icons

This insightful exploration of early Christian icons examines their connections to earlier sacred portrait genres, revealing significant cultural influences and viewer interactions.

This book delves into the earliest surviving Christian icons, dating back to the sixth and seventh centuries. These icons share notable similarities with three well-established genres of 'sacred portrait' that emerged during late antiquity: Roman imperial portraiture, Greco-Egyptian funerary portraiture, and panel paintings depicting non-Christian deities. By examining these connections, the author sheds light on the cultural and artistic exchanges that influenced the development of early Christian art.

Andrew Paterson addresses two fundamental questions regarding devotional portraiture, both Christian and non-Christian, during the late antique period. He explores how artists visualized and constructed images of divine or sanctified figures, as well as how viewers engaged with these portraits. The emphasis on the depicted gaze is a key theme throughout the book, suggesting that these images invite a more personal and profound encounter with their subjects, enhancing the viewer's spiritual experience.

Late Antique Portraits and Early Christian Icons will appeal to scholars in various fields, including art history, theology, religion, and classical studies. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between art and spirituality, this work contributes significantly to our understanding of early Christian iconography and its roots in the broader context of late antique art.