Oh, Ravenna! — Basilica di Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy

And now, for tesserae lovers and art aficionados everywhere, here is the second entry in my little series on the mosaics of Ravenna.

A short distance from the town of Ravenna (roughly 3.5 miles or 5.5 kilometres) is Classe, once an ancient port and now the site of an archaeological park. I went there by bus but decided to walk back to Ravenna, which is entirely doable. You can visit Classe’s ancient port and a museum that takes you through the history of Ravenna during antiquity and the Middle Ages. Also in Classe is the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare, which, along with several other locations in Ravenna, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Apollinaris, first bishop of Ravenna, apparently came from Syria and may have been a disciple of St. Peter. He was allegedly martyred at Classe, hence the construction, in the sixth century, of a basilica there dedicated to his memory where the saint’s relics were kept. The church today isn’t quite what it once was, as fifteenth-century Venetians decided to strip it of much of its décor. Fortunately, the mosaics of the triumphal arch and the apse remain in place to be admired.

The triumphal arch has a medallion of Christ at its centre flanked by the Evangelists, symbolised by their winged symbols: the Eagle (John), the Winged Man (Matthew), the Lion (Mark), and the Calf (Luke). The decoration of the apse shows the Transfiguration of Jesus, and three lambs depicted on the green background represent the witnesses to this event, the Apostles Peter, James, and John. There are twelve sheep on the triumphal arch and lower portion of the apse as well, representing the Twelve Apostles. The Hand of God hangs over a jewelled cross in a starry sky, at the centre of which is the face of Jesus. The Greek letters Alpha and Omega are at the ends of the arms of the cross, signifying the beginning and ending of life. The figures of Elijah and Moses are shown on either side. Right in the middle of the paradise-like green landscape beneath is St. Apollinare himself, to whom the church is dedicated. Under this, between the windows, are mosaic portraits of four bishops who founded the main basilicas in Ravenna.

above: Detail of the jewelled cross at the centre of the apse mosaic.

above: St. Apollinare.

above: Figures of Mark and Luke shown on the triumphal arch.

Interestingly, the choice of subject matter for the decoration of the apse is strategic in that it emphasises Christ’s nature as both human and divine, opposing the Arian belief that the Son of God was less divine than the Father. The apse mosaics date from the sixth century, at a point when the Catholic Church was trying to erase what it regarded as Arian heresy. One can never get away from politics. The triumphal arch’s mosaics are later, dating from the ninth century, and other mosaics can be dated from between the seventh and the twelfth centuries.

What else can I say about these mosaics? Well, probably a lot, but I am not an art historian, and I am not going to pretend I possess in-depth knowledge about every bit of religious (and political) symbolism found in the basilica. What I can say is that, as with so many of the glorious artworks in Ravenna, I was blown away by the boldness and vivid colour of the imagery and left in awe of the craftsmen who created them. The gradations of colour (look at the green) and the intricate, exquisite detail of the figures and their clothing are things to be wondered at. Made for the glory of God and the aggrandisement of certain contemporary temporal political and religious figures, today these beautiful creations still provide sustenance for any aesthete.

above: A view looking down the central aisle. The frescos above the columns date to the eighteenth century and depict Ravenna's archbishops.

 

For a comprehensive history of Ravenna throughout late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, I can recommend Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe by Judith Herrin ISBN: 9780241954454