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Looking at the oldest depictions of Jesus can teach us about artistic canon of early Christian communities.
As outlined in a recent article about the realistic “looks” of Jesus, much of what we know about Jesus looks is a product of artistic convention. Since neither the Bible nor the New Testament provide a description of what Christ looked like, painters and mosaic-makers would often resort to the artistic canons of their time to create a visual image of the “Son of God.” This means that some of the earliest depictions of Jesus offer a precious insight into the diverse iconography style of the places and people that made up early Christianity. Here is a list of the six most ancient depictions of Jesus known to historians:
1. Alexamenos graffito, 1st century
Continued below.
The six oldest images of Jesus
As outlined in a recent article about the realistic “looks” of Jesus, much of what we know about Jesus looks is a product of artistic convention. Since neither the Bible nor the New Testament provide a description of what Christ looked like, painters and mosaic-makers would often resort to the artistic canons of their time to create a visual image of the “Son of God.” This means that some of the earliest depictions of Jesus offer a precious insight into the diverse iconography style of the places and people that made up early Christianity. Here is a list of the six most ancient depictions of Jesus known to historians:
1. Alexamenos graffito, 1st century
Continued below.
The six oldest images of Jesus
