The Veneto Revisited – Ravenna Day 3

The last day of our Italian swing gives us time to see a couple of sites in Ravenna before catching the train and then our afternoon flight from Bologna. Our plan saves one of the best sites for last: the Basilica di San Vitale (sixth century).

We approach the church from the south and pass a large stone gate. We can see the 'front door' under the marble arch, but that is not the tourist entrance. Both the gate and the door seem to be Baroque era additions. We continue around several brick structures and enter from the northeast, between the large buttresses we saw yesterday.

The interior flow is vertical, but we are surprised by the lack of medieval mosaics; mostly, it's painted Baroque frescos. Triple-arched, two-story exedrae expand the, octagonal plan, and reach up to the overly-dramatic imagery in the center dome. Fragments of old floor mosaics hang within the ambulatory. The presbiterio extends to the southeast, and along its sides and in the apse, we find the mosaics.

 

 

 

 

 

Another visitor has her phone's flashlight on near the altar, so we wait for her to vacate. Meanwhile, we play with the iPhone's camera to see what the zoom lenses can do. The dome and the hall-domes of the exedrae are at least colorful. Several frescos are missing, and show how the church's flat surfaces are being manipulated by the Baroque painters. So while the Basilica's geometry is complex, the decorative elements take it to another level.

We see that the lady with the flashlight is reading her guidebook. We mention that her light is affecting everyone else's viewing and photography. She looks at us annoyed and goes on reading.

By contrast, the geometry in the presbiterio is straight forward: a double-height, cross-vaulted rectangular extension from the inner octagon ends at a single-story, semi-circular apse with a half-dome.

At the altar, the triumphal arch has a stack of intradosso, which resemble stone oculi. Classical dolphins with entwined tails separate the rings. There are fifteen images, seven on each side and Cristo Redentore over head. The portraits represent the Twelve Apostles plus two saint: Gerbasius and Protasius (thought to be the twin sons of San Vitale).

 

 

 

 

 

Just behind this arch, the ambulatory and the gallery end at stacked tripartite openings. Over the lower opening on the right (south) side is a lunette with the Offerta di Abel e Melchisedec, the lamb and the tithe to the Hand of God. Just above them, closer to the altar, is Mosè nel roveto ardente; he ties his sandal in the burning hills. On the opposite side, Isaias stands next a crown and prophesies the arrival of Christ. Next to the gallery opening are two of the Four Evangelists; above Mosè is St John with the symbolic angel, and opposite him is St Mark with the lion.

Over the lower opening on the left (east) side is a lunette with the Ospitalità di Abramo e Sacrificio di Isacco. On one side, three angles sit at a table as Abraham offers them a meal; on the other, God gives Abraham a sacrificial lamb, biting at his hem, in place of Isaac. Atop the lunette is Mosè sul Monte Sinai, as Mose receives the word from God. Opposite this, is Ieremia, another Old Testament prophet who foresees the events of Christ's life. The other two Evangelists are by the gallery opening; St John is above Ieremia with the eagle, and St Luke is above Mosè with the ox.

The edges of the arches have familiar red borders. These reach up to the vault, where they intersect with peacocks at the base of the diagonal ribs, and a flow of flowers, fruits, and fowl continues to the medallion at the top. This is supported by the four archangels, Michele, Gabriele, Raffaele, and Uriele; each stands on a blue orb and inhabits a brilliant field of swirling tendrils and animals. At the center, amongst white and gold stars, is L'Agnus Dei, the mystic lamb of God, looking tough and angry.

The half-dome of the altar is the Basilica's focal point. A young Jesus, attended by two archangels, sits on the universal sphere, and passes the crown of martyrdom to Scs Vitalis, on His right. While on His left, the bishop, Eclesius epis, holds the church. The Four Rivers of Paradise nourish the green landscape below the golden sky of heaven.

A tripartite window is centered below the half-dome, and on either side of the windows are two iconic mosaic panels. On the left (east) side is Giustiniano I, the Byzantine emperor who, in the mid-sixth century, reclaims Ravenna from the Ostrogoths (Arianism). Joining him is Maximianus, the bishop whose cattedra (chair) is in the Museo Arcivescovile. On the right (south) side is the empress Teodora with her retinue of attendants, all bejeweled and finely dressed. Giustiniano and Teodora bear the paten and chalice for the Eucharist. These panels are pivotal in art history for the preservation of the Byzantine mosaics and the quality of the portraiture.

 

 

 

We make one more stop before our train, the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (house of stone carpets). The Domus is several meters below the Chiesa di Sant'Eufemia (eighteenth century), discovered just thirty years ago during the construction of a parking garage. It consists of fourteen rooms with floor mosaics from the fifth and sixth centuries.

The signature pice of the Domus is the Danza dei Geni delle Quattro Stagioni (dance of the four seasons). Figures representing Primavera (left, in red with crown of roses), Inverno (top, wearing a dark cloak), Autunno (bottom, dressed in white) hold hands and dance, while Estate is in the missing potion of the mosaic. In the back, a musician plays the flauto di carne (pan flute).

 

 

 

Scattered about the incredible floor mosaics are Microobjects, an art show that is a collaboration between Fornice Objects (a company that makes 3D printed ceramics) and 'micromosaicista' Yuyu Zhao. Perhaps not quite as intriguing as the glass pieces in Padova, but still interesting and fun.

The last mosaic is the Buon Pastore (good shepherd), a male figure, casually crosses his legs, with two fawn and two large birds. The quality of the color is spectacular, and the shepherd's gesture to the deer is delightful.

We return to the Mercato Coperto and buy sandwiches for the train ride. The quality of the food in Emilia-Romagno is unmatched; even the sandwiches are special. The logistics of transferring to the airport train (Marconi Express) are painless, and we are soon flying home. We edit our photos and relive the trip.

 

 

 

 

 

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(UPDATE, November 5): The iPhone 15 Pro Max survives the trip, and proves to be a true asset. Photos taken with both the main camera (with 24MP resolution) and the telephoto (with 120mm focal length) give amazing detail. We see things we previously missed, which is the whole point of the upgrade.

The Fine Woven Case, much maligned by the tech press is definitely showing wear, especially at the bottom where it rubs on the seam of the jeans pocket (but it did protect the phone when it fell near Sant'Apollinare Nuovo – note the scratch and dimple in the lower right).

Thanks to our niece for the delivery.

 

The Veneto Revisited – Ravenna Day 2

This is our only full day in Ravenna, and we have a lot of ground to cover. We retrace our path to the back of the Duomo, and the Battistero Neoniano (fourth and fifth centuries). This is one of the oldest buildings in the city, an octagonal brick extrusion. But on the inside, it is a swirl of forms and colors.

A marble basin is at the center, though a circular pulpit takes one of the eight sides. At the base of the of the structure, a low arcade with half-buried chapels in alternating arches. Our research tells us the ground level of the fifth century was much lower, and that the medieval font is buried in the foundation of this sixteenth century piscina. The arches are trimmed in red, and the mosaics of the lower surfaces are bright twists on a black background, with oval medallions containing saints.

A line of windows sits above these dark arches. On either side of the windows are stucco niches with more classical figures, quite a few seem to be female. The architecture creates a series of edge-lit, layered crescent shapes up to the dome.

 

 

 

The dome mosaic is marvelous. In the lower register, it is filled with segmented porticos containing elaborate thrones and altars with an open gospel; this band seems to mediate between the structured world and the celestial. In the wide band above, the Twelve Apostles stand against a brilliant blue wearing white and gold robes offering crowns. The swags over their heads create a starburst around the central medallion.

In the central scene, St John in his camel-hair tunic baptizes the naked Christ. The Holy Spirit soars above, while below, the personified Jordann (labelled as the Apostles are) holds His clothing. The golden sky highlights the dove and the halos of St John and Christ. The transparent effect of the rippling water rendered in the tesserae is extraordinary.

 

 

From the Battistero, we walk east in the direction of the train station. The Sunday market stalls are doing good business in the Piazza near the Basilica di San Francesco (ninth and tenth centuries). The Quadrarco di Braccioforte is just to the north of the Basilica, in a gated garden, with sarcophagi from the fifth century. Here, the Tomba di Dante (eighteenth century) faces his street, Via Dante Alighieri and the eponymous Museo.

The Tomb is a domed tempietto, and is, in the Ravenna tradition, simple outside, but lovely inside: Dantis poetae sepulcrum / Virtuti et honori.

 

 

 

We make a right turn at the Piazza Giuseppi Garibaldi and east on the Via Angelo Mariani. Just to the south is the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (early sixth century) with its slender campanile and marble-clad portico. The museum and gift shop are just to the right of the campanile, through one corner of the chiostro.

We enter the Basilica on an oblique and are unprepared for the scale and richness of the interior. There are thirteen bays to the altar, and on the north side, a line of seven chapels behind the aisle. On the south, windows face into the chiostro. The altar looks neoclassical, a full-height vault and half-dome. The mosaics in this church are above the aisles, in what would be the triforium and clerestory, known as Le Teorie di Martiri e Vergini.

On the north, a line of twenty-two female figures marches out of a city identified as Civi Classis (Classe). We know there is another Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe (sixth century), and that the relics of Sant'Apollinare move from Classe to Ravenna (Nuovo) in the ninth century. We also know the Basilica's history begins with Teodorico but shifts during the Esarcato di Ravenna and the reign of Giustiniano I; so, the images transition from 'Arian' to 'Orthodox' mid-construction in the sixth century.

There are twenty-three figures in the northern procession, beginning with Sca Eugenia, Sca Savina, Sca Cristina, and so on. Each virgin martyr holds a crown between palm trees (symbols of martyrdom) and stands over a green field of lillies and thistles (symbols of rebirth and divine love). At the south, a procession of twenty-six male martyrs march from the Pala-tium (Teodorico' palace), beginning with Scs Sabinus. Scs Apollinaris is about tenth in the queue, with white hair and beard, between Scs Felix and Scs Sebastianus.

None of the figures is specified by their image; for example, Scs Sebastianus, is shown without arrows. The literature indicates that the figures had originally been members of the Ostrogoth court.

 

 

 

 

Sca Agathei, Sca Pelagia, and finally Sca Eufimia are at the head of the processioni di Sante Vergini. Next, the mosaic specifically names the Santi Magi d'Oriente, Scs Balthassar, Scs Melchior, and Scs Gaspar – all with red hats, patterned leggings, dark cloaks, and bearing the myrrh, frankincense, and gold (visible in the open urn). Nearest the altar, Maria sits, enthroned, holding the baby Jesus, and protected by the four archangels.

Like the Magi, Scs Martinus leads the processioni di Santi Martiri in a dark cloak (the church was rededicated to him after Teodorico. but before Sant'Apollinare's relics were moved). And nearest the altar is Christ, enthroned, and the four archangels. On the upper register, at the clerestory and between the windows, several other saints and prophets join the parade, carrying books and scrolls, as they seem to hover over square openings in the the ground.

Against the coffered ceiling, at the top register on the north, the panels show the Miracoli di Gesù, including (nearest the altar), the Tramutazione dell'acqua in vino (wedding at Cana) which we also saw in Padova. At the top register on the south, Via Crucis (stations of the cross), and nearest the altar is a fantastic depiction of L'Ultima Cena (last supper) – Christ and the Twelve Apostles dining on fish and loaves of bread.

 

 

 

The artwork in the lateral chapels, though not glittering mosaics, are still fascinating – fun to see the armillary sphere (so popular in Portugal) beautifully illustrated, and with all the parts labelled.

 

 

 

From the Basilica, we turn north into a series of parks: the Piazza Anita Garibaldi, the Parco Pubblico Rocca Brancaleone and the Parco Teodorico. Siri sends us around the long way in the Parco (we should have continued on the Via delle Indutrie rather than turning into the Parco), but we finally find the ticket office and gate to the Mausoleo di Teodorico (sixth century).

The Mausoleo is a stout, cylindrical tower with a monolithic cap; the little buttresses and the dome are part of the same block of pietra d'Istria. An attached metal stair leads to the parapet from the east, and we may walk around and enter from the west.

Inside we notice the cap is cracked, and the roundel and banded cross design are faded. But the window openings, the complex block shapes, especially at the altar arch and door lintel, are astounding. A sarcophagus of purple stone (porfido) occupies the center of the space.

At a millennium and a half, the structure and its many carved details are in astonishingly good shape. The Mausoleo maintains its ancient elegance.

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoy one of the best meals of the trip at the Mercato Coperto – local oysters and a heavy-duty pasta called passatelli served with Parmigiano Reggiano and shaved tartufo nero (the mac and cheese of your dreams). The market hall is also an amazing place to get to know the local cuisine; there are prepared foods, a pasta counter, regional specialties, and lots of meats and cheeses.

The walk to our next site is not long enough to help with the food coma, but the shopping street of Via Cavour (full name: Via Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour) is amusing. We stroll past our destination, to the Porta Adriana and then back.

The Mausoleo di Galla Placidia (fifth century) is another modest, primitive building with a tangled history. Galla Placidia is the daughter of Teodosio I, wife of Ataulfo (Visigoth king) and Costanzo III (Roman emperor), and mother of Valentiniano III – plus, she serves as empress and regent (Augusta dell'Impero romano) from 425-450.

This funerary chapel is all the remains of a larger church, the Chiesa di Santa Croce (the current, smaller Santa Croce is from the sixteenth century). Lions and vines adorn the lintel of an otherwise simple door surround. The interior is inky, and we enter.

The sky turns dark, then fills with kaleidoscopic motifs. At the far end, two figures converse over a tiny fountain and two doves. Between them, a large window is glazed in glowing stone. We step into the center of the space. In the lunette below, a man holds a book by a big fire, covered with a cooking grate. Nearby, a cabinet hold the four books of the gospel (Marcus, Lucas, Matteus, Ioannes). The literature tells us the figure by the fire is San Lorenzo, and the gridiron is the symbol of his martyrdom.

Looking left and right, there are more figures in the upper arches; the guidebook says these are Apostles. Interestingly, the Apostles stand on a gold field with a dark blue background, an inversion of scenes in other churches where the sky is gold; above them, the Holy Spirit glows. In each lunette, a pair of deer approaches a pool of water, enclosed by spirals of vines and acanthus leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

The dome rises higher than expected. The guidebook adds to our Italian vocabulary; the figures in the corners are called tetramorfo – the symbols of the Four Evangelists (lion, eagle, angel, ox). The arches are trimmed in red, like the Battistero Neoniano, with aureate ribbons. In the center is the santa croce, encircled by rings of gold stars – the effect is dizzying.

Turning once more to face the door, we finally see Christ. This is a young Jesus tending a flock of sheep under a baby-blue sky – Cristo il Buon Pastore.

The state of preservation of the mosaics is unbelievable, even the alabaster windows. Unlike the mosaics in Sant'Apollinare, which strained our necks, or in the chapel Sant'Andrea which whetted our appetites, this is a a scale and an intimacy that is throughly enjoyable. And unlike those other two sites, there is nothing missing or 'updated' and really feels like a time capsule.

 

 

 

 

Back outside, we are right behind Basilica di San Vitale (sixth century), which is on the schedule tomorrow. We wonder what those complicated buttresses might be supporting.

On the Via Giuliano Argentario, we stop in to Annafietta Mosaicisti. Here, artisans make mosaics for the tourist trade, and give classes. We are mesmerized by the jars filled with tesserae and arranged according to the visible spectrum.