SAN VITALE 

     The art of this church was shown throughout with the incredible use of mosaics. According to Mariëtte Verhoeven, “The mosaics in the presbytery of San Vitale belong to the most discussed pieces of Early Christian art; especially the so-called imperial panels in the apse.” [1] The imperial panels discussed here are panels in the apse depicting Justinian, Theodora, and their courts. Justinian and Theodora were the Emperor and Empress at the time construction began on San Vitale. Justinian and Theodora were honored by having themselves put on the north and south walls of the apse, respectively. Justinian and Theodora are positioned just right so that they are portrayed coming into the church and heading to the altar. Justinian is carrying a bowl used for the Eucharist, while Theodora is carrying the cup used for the wine of the Eucharist. Interestingly enough, neither Justinian nor Theodora ever visited San Vitale, or Ravenna in general. That being said, their depictions on the mosaics in the apse are possibly meant to resemble their marking of their territory, especially since it had been taken away from the previous ruler, Theodoric. They represented their political power in Ravenna and the power they had at San Vitale, even though they were not actually there to show their power in person. 

     Most of the mosaics can be described as Byzantine in style. However, in the sanctuary, the faces and landscape depicts Hellenistic-Roman style, while the mosaics from the apse are Byzantine in style. The mosaic of Abraham and the sacrifice of his son, for example, depicts the scene with a green landscape background, which is very different than the solid gold of the Byzantine mosaics. The Byzantine mosaics have gold backgrounds and are plain, compared to the definition of the faces and colorful landscaping of the Hellenistic-Roman style. The mosaic of Justinian, for example, is set to a gold background, pointing to its Byzantine style. The mosaic of Theodora also has a gold Byzantine background, but she also is depicted in very elaborate Byzantine clothing and jewelry. The different mosaics can show the many depictions of the saints, Biblical scenes, and even Byzantine liturgical rituals, such as Justinian and Theodora providing the Eucharist.

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1. Mariëtte Verhoeven. The Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna: Transformations and Memory. Vol. 1. Turnhout, BE: Brepols Publishers, 2011, 123.