Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/343

 X] ANTIQUE CHRISTIAN PAINTING 325 tistic impulse came from the East, from the new thriving capital, Constantinople, where sculpture was itself to become unsculpturesque. Nevertheless, even the Roman sarcophagi disclose a certain extension of the circle of subjects in the catacombs, and a certain modification in the mode of presentation, indicative of the new stage upon which Christian painting entered in the reign of Constantine. When the imperial government became Christian, and Christianity was made the State religion, impos- ing edifices were at once erected for the purposes of Christian worship. These required decoration with subjects belonging to the Christian faith and accord- ing with the exultation of the faithful. A whole circle of novel religious compositions was demanded ; and the demand was met with an energy giving to this novel creation of Christian pictures the appearance of a revival of art in a decadent time. And so it was ; but this revival was limited to sacred art, and, in Italy and the West, was to succumb to the calamities of barbarian invasion, famine, and pestilence. At Constantinople the Christian revival of art was more lasting, and passed through vicissitudes before its final mummification. With respect to the impermanence of this Christian revival, one should bear in mind that the arts depend on technique, and are otherwise subject to the artistic and intellectual limitations of the period. In literar ture and philosophy the greatness of the fourth and fifth centuries was confined to the writings of men inspired by Christianity and moved by ecclesiastical and apologetic needs. Outside of these Christian