I think it’s so powerful to reflect on how mosaic art was used for flooring for centuries. People in ancient times cared so much about their homes and the very floor that their guests tread on that they were willing to decorate it with such incredible detail and craftsmanship. It blows my mind, having created mosaics myself, how so much painstaking effort went into floors, remote corners, and hardly-visible apses for that matter…a type of respect for architecture and its power that is in many ways lost today.
Not sure. Interesting question. I'm not at all sure they're venerated as saints. It might be that halos didn't mean exactly then what they mean now. I'll have to look that one up.
Spectacular! Quite amazing. I have a special attraction for the rather plain but moving mosaic of Santa Costanza. The other mosaics are simply stunning.
I think it’s so powerful to reflect on how mosaic art was used for flooring for centuries. People in ancient times cared so much about their homes and the very floor that their guests tread on that they were willing to decorate it with such incredible detail and craftsmanship. It blows my mind, having created mosaics myself, how so much painstaking effort went into floors, remote corners, and hardly-visible apses for that matter…a type of respect for architecture and its power that is in many ways lost today.
The mosaics in Ravenna are among my absolute favourites. Thank you for this wonderful post!
Such a great post! I've always wondered, were the halos around Justinian and Theodora added later?
Not sure. Interesting question. I'm not at all sure they're venerated as saints. It might be that halos didn't mean exactly then what they mean now. I'll have to look that one up.
Yet another wonderful post, Hilary, thank you, I want to go to Rome and Ravenna right now! What a tonic for our turbulent world.
Spectacular! Quite amazing. I have a special attraction for the rather plain but moving mosaic of Santa Costanza. The other mosaics are simply stunning.