DIONYSUS – CHRISTIAN CATACOMBS
You see, Christian definitions can later change, but pagan themes don’t, since paganism was later overruled. So, if you’re an early Christian and you wish to retain your message, it’s smart to paint certain pagan themes that will elude later church corruptions. I mean, there are other reasons to drink wine (“They get on me and wanna' know Hank: ‘Why do ya' drink?, Hank, why do you roll smoke?’” –Hank Williams, Jr., 1979), but painting the vine and/or grapes tells a bit more:
Catacomb of Domilitta:
Guide to Catacomb of Domitilla; Fasola; Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, Vatican City; English edition; 1974; p. 27; “The Gallery of Sarcophagi”:
Guide to Catacomb of Domitilla; Fasola; Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, Vatican City; English edition; 1974; p. 37; “Fig. 18 – Vintage scenes”:
Erotes:
P. 38:
Early Christian Painting, Pierre du Bourguet, 1965, figure 33:
“List of Plates | Catacomb of Domitilla”:
Art: A History of Changing Style, Cornell, 1983, p. 44, “Art in the Catacombs”:
Or could it be, “cupids gathering grapes” means the erotic sense of Bacchus? Well, that’s what it would mean literally.
Figure 44:
http://amoroma.it/turismo/itinerari/scavi/itin029.htm, Catacombe di San Domitilla (translated from Italian):
More ahead on the left we enter in the gallery of the sarcofagi, erroneously attributed to the Flavi Christian; it was dealt in truth, of a ipogeo they pay whose walls were decorated from fresco today in bad conditions, that they represented tralci of lives, vintage grape bunches and amorini.
(Più avanti sulla sinistra entriamo nella galleria dei sarcofagi, erroneamente attribuita ai Flavi Cristiani; si trattava in realtà, di un ipogeo pagano le cui pareti erano decorate da affreschi oggi in cattive condizioni, che raffiguravano tralci di viti, grappoli d'uva ed amorini vendemmianti.)
2000 Years of Christian Art, Newton / Neil, 1966, p. 30:
2000 Years of Christian Art, Newton / Neil, 1966, p. 305, “Notes on the Illustrations | (page) 30”:
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus, St. Sebastian, and Domitilla, Englefield, 1913, p. 51, “The Catacomb of Domitilla”:
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/klein/large/BISCO~46.jpg (via http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/dbcourses/item?skip=1160), Cubiculum of Ampliatus; Catacomb of Domitilla, Rome:
Vine scrolls on friezes and arched ceiling:
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/klein/large/BISCO~1C.jpg (via http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/dbcourses/item?skip=1180), Cubiculum of Ampliatus; Catacomb of Domitilla, Rome:
http://www.catacombe.domitilla.it/inglese.htm, Catacombs S. Domitilla:
Onto the gallery open four niches meant to contain sarcophagi which have long disappeared. All the walls were decorated with frescoes which are in a poor condition today: they depict vines, bunches of grape, birds and cupids making wine (the large niche on the right contains a famous fresco depicting a vase with two birds on either side). When the hypogeum was occupied by Christian tombs, the frescoes were added - badly faded today - depicting scenes from the lives of Daniel and Moses in the Old Testament [img].:
(I’ll just have to trust them.)
Catacomb of Saint Callixtus:
Early Christian Art, W. F. Volbach, 1961, p. 12:
Plate 8, “Rome, Catacomb of St. Callixtus. Orans, beginning of IV century”:
P. 310, “Notes to the Plates”:
“IN PACE” is Latin for “in accordance with peace / harmony.”
Early Christian Painting, Pierre du Bourguet, 1965, figure 7:
“List of Plates | Catacomb of Callixtus”:
Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, André Grabar, 1968, p. 120, “2. Christian Painting and Sculpture before the Peace of the Church (before AD 313) | 119. Rome, Catacomb of San Callisto, Cubiculum of the ‘Cinque Santi.’ Orant, detail”:
The Catacomb of St. Callixtus, Carletti, Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, no date (prob. early 70s), English edition, p.30 , “The Crypt of St. Eusebius”:
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus; Baruffa; Published by L.E.V., Vatican City; 1993; p. 109; “The Area of SS. Gaius and Eusebius | Cubiculum of the Five Saints: Detail of the fresco”:
P. 110; “The Area of SS. Gaius and Eusebius | Cubiculum of the Five Saints (4th century)”:
P. 110; “The Area of SS. Gaius and Eusebius | Cubiculum of the Five Saints (4th century)” (a reconstruction):
P. 110; “The Area of SS. Gaius and Eusebius | Cubiculum of the Five Saints (4th century)” (a reconstruction):
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus; Baruffa; Published by L.E.V., Vatican City; 1993; p. 87; “The Area called St. Miltiades”:
Irene was the pagan goddess of peace, “symbolism” which the Vatican is glad to share. If “the Christians of first centuries greatly loved symbolism,” then I wonder what Eros and grape vines were to symbolize?
P. 40:
Catacomb of San Callisto:
(I question this connection to Dionysus.)
http://altreligion.about.com/library/graphics/bl_savior2.htm, Saviors and Madonnas Gallery, “Dionysus with halo”:
Haloed Dionysus
http://altreligion.about.com/library/graphics/bl_saviors.htm?once=true&, Savior/Madonna Gallery One, “Dionysus, the Good Shepherd”:
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/sterk/ImagesAW/Images11.25.htm, Images9.18:
Christ as the Good Shepherd (Rome, Catacomb of San Callisto, crypt of Lucina)
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus; Baruffa; Published by L.E.V., Vatican City; 1993; p. 39; “The Symbols Near the Entrance Staircase”:
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus, St. Sebastian, and Domitilla, Englefield, 1913, pp. 12-13:
http://drwagnernet.com/40a/lecture-view.cfm?lecture=5&image=8, Lecture #5:
early Christian
- 3 cent. A.D.
Materials: painting
in catacomb
Good Shepherd-ceiling S. Callisto catacomb
Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, André Grabar, 1968, p. 30, “28, Rome, Catacomb of San Callisto, Crypt of Lucina. The Good Shepherd”:
http://www.unf.edu/classes/byzantium/image/goodshepherd-rome-catacomb-278CE.jpg (via http://www.unf.edu/classes/byzantium/), Byzantium, “The Good Shepherd: Catacomb of San Callisto, mid 3rd Cent.”:
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus; Baruffa; Published by L.E.V., Vatican City; 1993; p. 150; “The Crypts of Lucina”:
Catacomb of Saints Marcellino and Peter:
Die Katakombe „Santi Marcellino e Pietro“: Repertorium der Malereien (The Catacomb “Saints Marcellino and Peter”: Repertory of the Paintings), Deckers, 1987, Vol. 2, RC Lau (catalog painting) 21, (vine scroll):
Catacombs of Priscilla:
Origins of Western Art, Dr. Donald E. Strong, 1965, color plate p. 179 (vine):
Art History, Stokstad, Revised Edition, 1999, Vol. 1, pp. 292-293, “Jewish Art and Early Christian Art”:
P. 292, figure 7-2:
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/klein/large/BISCO~20.jpg (via http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/dbcourses/item?skip=1180), Cappella Graeca; Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome:
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/klein/large/BISCO~7D.jpg (via http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/dbcourses/item?skip=1140), Cappella Graecia, Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome:
(Looking the other way:)
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/klein/large/BISCON~A.jpg (via http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/dbcourses/item?skip=1180), Cappella Graeca, Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome:
Catacomb of the Via Latina:
The Paintings of the ‘New’ Catacomb of the Via Latina and the Struggle of Christianity against Paganism, Bargebuhr, 1991, pp. 44-45, “Representations of Pagan Themes”:
A phallus is a penis.
The Paintings of the ‘New’ Catacomb of the Via Latina and the Struggle of Christianity against Paganism, Bargebuhr, 1991, p. 53, “Representations of Pagan Themes”:
The Via Latina Catacomb, Tronzo, 1986, p. 65, “Cubiculum O—A Decoration for New Christians”:
Figure 97:
The one with the wheat represents Demeter.
Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, André Grabar, 1968, p. 234, “3. The Art of the Fourth Century | The Via Latina Paintings | 258. Rome. Catacomb of the Via Latina: Partial View of Room N”:
Catacomb of San Sebastiano:
Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, André Grabar, 1968, p. 87, “2. Christian Painting and Sculpture before the Peace of the Church (before AD 313) | 81. Rome, Pagan Mausoleum under San Sebastiano. Birds and Vine-Shoots”:
P. 319, “List of Illustrations”:
http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/114.html, Vaults of Memory:
The Fruits of Paradise
114.
An exotic parrot looks on while a quail, which often symbolizes the human soul,
pecks at a cluster of grapes. Bountiful
fruits, such as pomegranates and grapes,
overflow the elegant Roman glass vessel in this arcosolium painting. Such images
(also no. 93) were influenced by Hellenistic
mosaics. Mausoleum of M. Clodius Hermes encompassed by the catacomb of
S. Sebastiano.
Catacomb of Praetextatus / Pretestato:
Early Christian Painting, Pierre du Bourguet, 1965, p. 27, “The Subjects Represented | Decorative Motifs”:
P. 26, “The Subjects Represented | Crafts and Occupations”:
Figure 49 (grape-gatherers) [Vines]:
“List of Plates | Catacomb of Praetextatus”:
Figure 51 (detail of figure 49) (grape-gatherers):
“List of Plates | Catacomb of Praetextatus”:
Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, André Grabar, 1968, p. 94, “2. Christian Painting and Sculpture before the Peace of the Church (before AD 313) | 90. Rome, Catacomb of Pretestato, Crypt of San Gennaro. Winter”:
Catacomb of Villa Torlonia:
http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/1.html, Vaults of Memory:
Jewish, Christian, and Graeco-Roman
Symbols Interwoven in a Tapestry of Grapevine
Tendrils
1. A
vault painting from the decorated cubiculum in the upper catacomb of Villa Torlonia
shows Jewish ritual objects: a menorah (seven-branched lamp-stand), a shofar
(horn), and ethrogs (citrons), while the grapevines,
dolphins, and tridents were derived by both Jew
and Christians from Graeco-Roman iconography. Drawn from J. B. Frey C.
S. Sp., Corpus Inscriptionum Iudaicarum (Città del Vaticano, 1936. Reprint, New York, 1975), p. CXXVII.
Catacomb of Monteverde:
http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/120.html, Vaults of Memory:
"Iulianus, a Hebrew"
120. The
four vine leaves punctuating the
inscription perhaps imply the wish for a blissful afterlife. Catacomb of Monteverde.
Miscellaneous:
Medieval Art, Stokstad, 1986, p. 14, chapter 1, “Art in the First Centuries of the Christian Era | Christian Art Before Constantine”:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07664a.htm (Catholic Encyclopedia), Veneration of Images, “II. CHRISTIAN IMAGES BEFORE THE EIGHTH CENTURY”:
And the catacombs were covered with paintings. There are other decorations such as garlands, ribands, stars landscapes, vines-no doubt in many cases having a symbolic meaning.
One sees with some surprise motives from mythology now employed in a Christian sense (Psyche, Eros winged Victories, Orpheus), and evidently used as a type of our Lord.
http://www.underome.com/eng/sub/180.php, The Colombarium of via Pescara:
On the shorter walls of the space there are paintings of grape vines -- white grapes on one wall, and red on the other. Though they have no Christian symbology, they are nevertheless the same symbols that we will find a couple of centuries later in the catacombs and other Christian settings.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03417b.htm (Catholic Encyclopedia), Roman Catacombs, “VI. Small Objects Found in the Catacombs”:
In addition to these, other Biblical characters were introduced, e.g. Josue and Caleb carrying the great bunch of grapes,
http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/25.html, Vaults of Memory:
Strange Bedfellows
25. In
the epitaph "Here lies Faustina," there is an infrequent instance of
the use of Hebrew (the word shalom) in the catacombs of Rome and a curious juxtaposition of Jewish and Dionysiac
imagery: the traditional lulav, menorah, and shofar in the company of theatrical masks. Possibly from the Monteverde
catacomb. Museo Nazionale Romano.
http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/121.html, Vaults of Memory:
Dionysos Crosses the Sea with Cavorting Marine
Companions
121. In
this vignette of Dionysos's
transformation of pirates into dolphins, two major symbols of salvation, the vine and the dolphin, are combined. Interior
of Greek kylix (drinking cup) from Vulci (Etruria). Third quarter of the sixth century B.C.E. Munich, Staatliche Antikensammlungen.