EARLY CHRISTIAN PAINTER, Italian
(active in 3rd century in Rome)

Scenes from a Christian woman's life

260s
Fresco
Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome

The Catacombs of Priscilla on the Via Salaria in Rome are situated in a quarry that during Roman time was used for burials. Some of the walls and ceilings in the catacombs display fine decorations illustrating Biblical scenes. They contain many wall paintings representing saints and early Christian symbols.

In the Cubiculum of the Velatio, scenes from a Christian woman's life are represented: marriage, childbirth, death. For each scene of her life a woman in a veil is depicted: being married by a bishop (left), seated in a chair nursing her newborn baby (right) and pose of prayer (orant) to represent her soul as it rises up to heaven (centre).




© Web Gallery of Art, created by Emil Krén and Daniel Marx.