EARLY CHRISTIAN ART

The art work of the late Roman and Byzantine Empires from the third to the seventh centuries, a transition period between classical antiquity and the full flowering of the Middle Ages, has only recently come into its own. In a concise and meaningful introduction, an expert in the field traces the development of early Christian art and guides the reader toward an understanding of its ideals and purpose. Equal emphasis is given the Western and Eastern worlds. Examples of sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, monuments, architecture and textiles have been photographed from the treasures of Rome, Milan and Ravenna as well as from Salonika and Istanbul. Cross reference is made to the plates which are shown in a complete unit, and a full appendix of notes on them appears at the end of the book.