Ravenna Art and Architecture 5th - 6th centuries CE

In 395 Theodosius divided the Roman empire into halves to be ruled by his two sons while the "barbarian" menace increased in Italy. (The Visigoth king Alaric invaded Rome itself in 410.) Theodosius' son Honorius set up his capital at Ravenna in 404, and it became the most important city in Italy in the 5th century. Situated on the Adriatic, it was closer to the territories of the eastern Roman empire. After Honorius, his half-sister Galla Placidia ruled it until 450, and somewhat later it was ruled by by Theodoric the Ostrogoth. In 539 one of Justinian's generals captured it and reunited it with the eastern half of the Roman empire. Because of this eastern (and Byzantine) connection, the artistic style is defined as Byzantine.

	Lunette with the Good Shepherd mosaic from Galla Placidia Ravenna, 5th century
	The small chapel (at first a mausoleum) of Galla Placidia is decorated inside with rich multi-colored marbles and mosaics on the walls and ceiling. Mosaics will become the hallmark of the Byzantine style. The Good Shepherd motif appears here as it did in catacomb paintings, but note the difference: there can be no doubt that this is Jesus. The shepherd's crook has become a cross, the rich cloak is the imperial purple, and an obvious halo identifies Christ clearly. The sheep turn their heads toward Jesus as if transfixed.
	Christ as Legionnaire mosaic, Archbishop Andrea's Palace Chapel of San Andrea Ravenna, 494-519
	Contrast this image of Jesus with the preceding, and with catacomb paintings. Here Christ is a militant figure, dressed as a Roman legionnaire, overcoming evil in the symbolic form of a snake. Unlike Greek and Roman mosaics which were naturalistic (using small stones to create realistic details), Byzantine mosaics are often stylized and symbolic. Skies, for example, are no longer blue with clouds; instead, the background is often gold stones. And figures are frontal rather than naturally existing in space.
	The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Ravenna, before 526
	This church was founded by Theodoric the Ostrogoth, an Arian Christian. It is named for St. Apollinaris, an archbishop of Ravenna. The nave walls are covered with mosaics.
	Lowest register of mosaics Nave wall of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare The lowest register depicts long processions on each nave wall. In the original mosaics Theodoric and members of his family followed male and female saints toward Mary on one side and Christ on other. But since Theodoric was an Arian Christian, he and his family members were later removed. The saints carry martyrs' crowns and are separated by symbolic palms. These mosaics are Byzantine in style, with repeated figures lacking individuality, a stylized gold background, and no spatial depth.
	Top register of mosaics Nave wall of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare The mosaics of the top register depict twenty-six scenes in Christ's life in small rectangular panels. Here Christ is judge with the sheep on his right (the good side) and the goats on the left. (Cf. medieval depictions of the Last Judgment.) Typical of Byzantine mosaics, the figures are not modelled realistically, but are outlined and lack naturalistic expression.
	Church of San Vitale Ravenna, early 6th century
	Unlike most early Christian churches (which were basilicas), San Vitale has an octagonal plan, broken with a chancel (or choir) at the altar end. It is the most richly decorated of all Ravenna churches, with elaborate mosaics (even on capitals of columns) as well as beautiful marble decoration.
	Justinian and his Court and Theodora and her Court chancel mosaics, San Vitale Ravenna, 547 Although San Vitale was begun earlier, it was consecrated in 547. The mosaics were done under the direction of Justinian, whose general (Belisarius) took the city in 540, thus uniting Ravenna with the eastern Christian empire. Justinian carries a paten (a liturgical object used to hold the bread in Communion) while his wife Theodora holds a chalice (a wine vessel used in Communion). Emperors typically made offerings to churches at Easter and other special times. To contrast the Byzantine style here with the classical style, see Roman portrait sculpture, for example. Figures here are static and two-dimensional, as if they had no bodies underneath their robes. Only the overlapping of figures gives an illusion of depth. In much early Christian and medieval art it is the idea that is important, not an accurate representation of physical reality.