Early Christian And Medieval Apse Mosaics

Early Christian and Medieval Apse Mosaics The Edict of Milan, passed under Constantine, was a great victory for Christianity because it granted Christians the right to practice their religion and it marked a fundamental step in the development of Christian culture. Before this decree, private venues, or house churches, were the main places of worship found inside the city walls. Outside of the city’s walls, churches were built on funerary sites of early Christian martyrs. The construction of official Christian basilicas within the city began in the late fourth century. Within these basilicas, wall and ceiling mosaics were utilized to decorate the interior space and held a cultural and spiritual significance. An example of one of the early Christian apse mosaics is located in Santa Pudenziana, which dates to the late fourth century and is one of the first figural mosaics in Rome.1 A later mosaic at San Clemente dates to 1120 AD.2 This mosaic was created during the Gregorian reform, when it was popular to look back at the early Christian church.3 By this time, the image of Christ had become standardized. When contrasting the two mosaics found at Santa Pudenziana and San Clemente, the observer is able to analyze the specific historical and religious contexts that each holds within its iconography and see the development of art within these Christian basilicas. The mosaic at Santa Pudenziana captures the viewers’ attention with its tesserae, glass with inlaid gold and colors, which create vivid patterns and imagery. The elaborate iconography found within the apse culminates an impressive entrance to the altar of the Church and creates a charged space of authority. In the Santa Pudenziana mosaic, Jesus is flocked by five figures, the apostles. The two figures right beside him are St. Peter and St. Paul, Jesus’ principal apostles. They are recognized by their distinct physical appearance. Peter is often associated with white hair and a beard, while Paul is recognized