arts 201
Case Study Project 2 Instructions
Commission your own Sarcophagus:
Learning Outcomes: This project will enable you to conceptualize the components of Sarcophagus design and its importance in the ancient world. You will learn how early Christians adapted the iconography of ancient Roman art in order to create a new visual lexicon for Christianity, how this new Christian iconography developed among the early Christian church, and how Christian symbols today are different from or similar to their original meanings. You will develop a stronger sense of your responsibility as a Christian to recognize, understand, and contribute to the meanings of Christian imagery as well as how the Christian message is visualized today.
Assignment Description: Early Christians adapted imagery from the polytheistic traditions of the ancient Romans to develop a new Christian iconography – a new visual language for Christianity and its ideas. Using the style and iconography of the Christian tradition, design a sarcophagus that reflects your Christian beliefs and that sends a message to viewers about the Christian faith.
Assessment: This assignment assesses your ability to comprehend ideas about early Christian iconography and to convey these ideas visually and in writing. Your project should demonstrate a thorough understanding of all the prompt questions given in this assignment.
Research:
- Video: Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (359 C.E.) https://youtu.be/UjX4ExCixWY
- Website: Early Christian Art and Architecture: http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/smarthistory/early_christianity_smarthistory.html
- Use your book, library resources, and credible websites for further research.
Questions that should be answered in your project:
What ancient Roman gods were appropriated to represent Christian figures? What symbols and stories did early Christians use to convey the new Christian message visually? What symbols and stories were an integral part of early Christian life? How were these symbols and stories integrated into the burial practices of early Christians? To what extent does Christian imagery today still rely on the images developed by the Early Christians?
Your task is to figure out what these images originally meant prior to Christianity, how early Christians modified and adapted these symbols, and how they have changed over time. Would you include them in your own sarcophagus design and why?
This assignment has two parts:
- Part 1 is a sarcophagus design showing one side of the rectangular coffin – this can be hand-drawn, computer generated, or images from the web. Your image must follow traditional sarcophagus design with numerous symbols and stories divided into squares. For example:
- Part 2 is an annotated PowerPoint presentation illustrating and explaining your sarcophagus design. You must have a minimum of 10 slides.Each slide must include at least 1 image and a written description of at least 150 words.
Paste/create your sarcophagus design on Slide 1. Then, on subsequent slides, paste a picture and write your narrative. Explain the purpose/function of each symbol, figure, and/or story illustrated. Explain why you have chosen each symbol/figure/story.
Note: If you are unable to draw an accurate illustration, you may choose appropriate images from credible websites to illustrate your points.
Submit your project: Save your PowerPoint as a PDF to reduce file size prior to uploading to BB.
Submit Case Study Project 2 by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 6.