László Borhy Par Domus est Caelo

Space and Time Symbolism in the Art of Vault and Dome Decoration of the Roman Empire

Starting with the interpretation of a painted vault from the 3rd century A.D found in the Roman municipality of Brigetio (today’s Komárom, Hungary) representing the personifications of the Four Seasons in  the corners and the  fix stars Andromeda and Pegasus in the centre of a dome-like circular surface, the author tries to find the place of this symbolical representation of Time and Space, Sky and Universe on the basis of Greek and Latin sources and with parallels in paintings and mosaics of Roman domes and vaults from Hellenistic to Byzantine art.