The Symbolism of the "Jonah Marbles"
These sculptures conform to a language of symbols developed by early Christians. The Good Shepherd represents Christ as the savior of his Christian flock. The four figures of Jonah depict incidents from the Old Testament. Swallowed by a "great fish" for his disobedience to God, Jonah spent three days within the beast's stomach. After repenting, he was disgorged unharmed. Jonah Swallowed and Jonah Cast Up were understood by early Christians to represent the death and resurrection of Christ. The gourd vine under which Jonah rests was another symbol of the resurrection. The image of Jonah resting developed from pagan mythological figures who, after sleeping, arose to everlasting life in paradise. The figure of Jonah Praying with arms extended in the praying position may represent either his repentance within the whale's belly or his thankfulness after his deliverance.
The Style of the "Jonah Marbles"
Carved for well-to-do Christians living in the eastern Roman Empire, these sculptures were inspired by earlier models in a style known as "Hellenistic." This term refers to the spread of Greek culture and language to the eastern Mediterranean and Near East after the conquests of Alexander the great in the 4th century BC. The naturalistic characteristics of Hellenistic sculpture are seen in the beard, hair, and tunic of the figure of Jonah Praying, which derives from ancient representations of the god Zeus. The reclining figure of Jonah Under the Gourd Vine recalls Hellenistic depictions of river gods, and the beardless figure of The Good Shepherd is Apollo-like in his tunic. Christian art was not an entirely original creation. It derived from the already developed styles of Hellenistic, Roman, and Near Eastern art.
