Loading...There aren’t really words that can describe the mosiacs at Ravenna. The colors, detail, vibrancy and immediacy after 1500 are simply astounding. Galla Placidia was the most remarkable. A small mauseleoum covered in mosiacs representing different saints, prophets and early Christian themes, it has, on its roof a mosiac of blue sky with shimmering gold stars and gold cross at the center with the animals symbolising the four evangelists at the corners. For reasons I can’t really explain, it was enormously affecting, almost bringing me to tears. One of the most incredible things I have ever seen.
There were more mosiacs- the basillica of San Vitale covered in old and new testament stories and a parade of allegorical and iconic images, the two baptistries (can’t remember the exact names), St. Apollianaire Nuovo with it’s long parades of male and female saints lined up to crown Jesus and Mary on either side of the church like the receiving line at his bar mitzvah. All of them were quite astonishing but Galla Placidia, with its intimacy, quiet beauty and lingering sadness was the finest. Suffice it to say that, if we had seen nothing else and done nothing else, Galla Placidia would have been worth coming to Italy for alone.
That being said- I’m pretty damn happy that we saw a bunch of other stuff.
