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Mausoleum of Theoderic
The top floor of the mausoleum has some outside decoration, probably Gothic. Not Gothic as Gothic but Gothic as of Goths. -
The Arian Baptistery
Another apostle with a very unusual beard - or rather mustache and sideburns. This could be Ostrogothic fashion (it certainly isn't Roman). -
The Arian Baptistery
They look very much alike, but the hair and beards are different. So in principle, one could tell them apart. -
The Arian Baptistery
One of the younger apostles. -
The Arian Baptistery
Could be Saint Andrew. -
The Orthodox Baptistery
The next circle has four Gospels on altars and four empty thrones with crosses and garments. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
The ceiling in the narthex. Plenty of different birds, most notably the famous ducks, and the white lilies. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Narthex of the chapel depicting Christ dressed as Roman emperor, standing on a lion and a snake (Psalm 91). His book says EGO SVM VIA VERITAS ET VITA - I am the way, the truth, the life. The top part is original mosaic, the bottom part is just painted! -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
I told you it was fake. Just painted on the wall. Oh well. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
One of the angels on the ceiling. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Saint Jacob -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Saint Mark's lion holding the thickest Gospel - despite Mark's Gospel being the shortest of all four. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Dance of the Seasons (original), Winter. I don't quite know what the crown is about. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Christ on the throne with four angels. Unfortunately not all is original, Christ's right side and the two right angels are 19th century reconstructions. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
A procession of 26 martyrs, including Saint Apollinaris, led by Saint Martin of Tours. Following are Pope Clements, Pope Sixtus, Saint Laurentius (in gold), Saint Hippolitus, Pope Cornelius (who is pointing towards), Saint Cyprian ... -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
... Saints Iohannes, his brother Paulus, Vitalis (the basilica Vitalis), Gervasius, Protasius, Ursicinus, Namor, Felix ... -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Madonna and Child surrounded by four angels. Plenty of roses and lilies everywhere and the typical gold Byzantine background. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Walking towards the Madonna is a procession of 22 virgins, led by the Three Magi. These are Saints Caecilia, Eulalia, Agnes (with a lamb), Agatha. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
6th century censorship. When the church became Orthodox, they 'erased' the Arians/Goths from the images, leaving only their praying hands. One can still see their halos above the curtains. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
... Saints Vincentius, Pancratius, Chrysogonus, Protus ... And these are not all of them. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
I love their fashion sense. They all wear Phrygian caps and - quite unusually -fancy trousers. -
Museo Arcivescovile
Throne of Maximianus with his monogram M and X, showing Saint John the Baptist and the four evangelists. -
Ravenna
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Mausoleum of Theoderic
The architecture is quite unusual, probably from Syria or Asia Minor. -
Mausoleum of Theoderic
What a monumental piece. It used to be at the sea, now multiple kilometers inland. -
The Arian Baptistery
More unidentified apostles. Are we supposed to tell them apart based only on their beards? Another mystery are the (greek?) letters on their coats. -
The Arian Baptistery
The medallion shows the young Christ in the middle, river Jordan on the left (with red crab claws?) and John the Baptist on the right. Above Christ is a dove (the Holy Spirit). One does not often see a naked Christ. -
The Arian Baptistery
Only the ceiling remains decorated - but what decoration it is! Basically: the baptism of Jesus and twelve apostles. -
The Arian Baptistery
Saints Peter and Paul lead a procession of five apostles towards the cross on an empty throne (representing God the Father?). In this Arian baptistery, the Father is above the Christ, possibly indicating the Arian beliefs. Saint Paul on the left, Saint Peter on the right. The rest I don't know. -
The Orthodox Baptistery
Saint Andrew -
The Orthodox Baptistery
Saint Bartholomew -
The Orthodox Baptistery
Saint Jacob -
The Orthodox Baptistery
The central image depicts the Baptism of Christ, Saint John the Baptist on the left and a small Jordan on the right. The bearded heads are not original though. And the apostles are named. Funnily, some have golden tunics with white pallium and other vice versa. -
The Orthodox Baptistery
What a masterpiece this is! Multiple circles of mosaic depict the central baptism, followed by the twelve (named!) apostles and the outer circle shows richly decorated thrones and altars. This mosaic is a few decades older than the Arian one. -
The Orthodox Baptistery
Another empty throne, awaiting Christ's Second Coming. -
The Orthodox Baptistery
Hm, is this an optical illusion? Because sometimes I see birds and sometimes fish. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Six female martyrs: Daria, Perpetua and Felicitas. On the other side are Eufemia, Eugenia, and Cecilia. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
The dome is decorated with four angels pointing towards IX, and the four symbols of the evangelists. -
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Depiction of young Christ with Saint Peter and Saint Paul. -
Museo Arcivescovile
Cross of Agnellus, details of the silver medallions. -
Museo Arcivescovile
The cathedral, the baptistry on the right, and the Museo Arcivescovile on the left. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Accidentally discovered in the 1993/94. But what do you do when you have multiple layers of history stacked on top of each other? You decide to display the prettiest? This one certainly is worth displaying! -
Ravenna
What lovely messages all over the town. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
What lovely mosaic floors of private villas. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
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Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
I wonder if the red and blue were always that pale or were they more vibrant. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
What a lovely private building, dating from the 5-6th century. The villa had at least 14 rooms, this one was probably a new reception room. In the centre, there is The Dance of the Seasons. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
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Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Dance of the Seasons (original). Spring on the left, Autumn with the crown is in the front, Winter in the back and Summer is missing. A personification of Time plays a pan flute. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Dance of the Seasons (original), the musician. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Dance of the Seasons (original), Autumn. -
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
The Good Shepherd, depicted as a pretty well-off young man with fancy shoes and stockings. This mosaic was found on a different (older) level that the previous ones. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Bottom: Theoderic's palace and the town of Ravenna (PALATIVM and CIVITAS RAVENN). Middle: more unnamed prophets and evangelists. Top: the way of the cross, Resurrection: the women at the tomb, The road to Emmaus, Jesus appearing to the apostles. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Top row is the life of Jesus, middle row the saints, prophets and evangelists, bottom row are the famous processions. Apparently Pope Gregory ordered the mosaics to be blackened, not to distract the worshipers. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
The town of Classe (only partially original). Middle: unknown prophets and evangelists. Top: The paralytic at Bethany, The Gerasene Demoniac, The paralytic at Capernaum, The Sheep and the Goats This side shows a much younger beardless Jesus. -
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Let's go: bottom line: Saints Valeria, Crispina, Lucia, Caecilia, Eulalia, Agnes, Agatha, Pelagia and Euphemia. middle: unnamed saints, prophets, evangelists... carrying scrolls or codices. top: the woman at the well, the woman with the flow of blood, Jesus cures the blind, (partial) the calling of Peter and Andrew. -
Classe
My guess would be that the difference in green background also means the border between the original and restored mosaics.