Other features of Byzantine mosaics

In later times, researchers pay attention to the fact that the cubes are stacked tightly to each other, while the clarity of the contours continues to be traced. Also among the features of later examples of Byzantine mosaics are the correct proportions of human bodies. Often they are depicted by masters in motion or in turn. Often the image is transmitted so that the volume of the image is visible. This brings the images to life to some extent, but having crisp edges still makes them look rather dry.

What is a Byzantine mosaic? This is the ancient art of composing some kind of image or picture from small identical particles. As a rule, large paintings are made in this way, which are intended to be looked at at a great distance. In this case, the picture will be distinguished by irregularities that seem to enliven the image, and the surface of the picture will seem velvety from afar.

Byzantine Mosaic Materials

Since ancient times in Byzantium, an excellent material was invented for making Byzantine mosaic paintings - smalt. In fact, this material was glass, in which particles of metals were added to give it certain shades. So with the addition of gold, the glass acquired a golden sheen. It is this brilliance that has prompted many craftsmen to choose gold mosaics for the background of their paintings. Even in the molten mass of smalt, copper and mercury were added in different ratios. So the ancient masters ensured that the pieces of the mosaic acquired various shades needed to create a composition.

Origin of Byzantine mosaic

The history of Byzantine mosaics dates back to the third or fourth century AD. It is this time that some of the most ancient examples of mosaics date back to. Interestingly, this art was at its peak in the sixth and seventh centuries, and then was revived and constantly used throughout the period from the ninth to the fourteenth century. Basically, samples of this art represent plots on a biblical theme, therefore, many of them are located in various religious buildings.

Features of the Byzantine style

As mentioned above, the main feature of the Byzantine style was the golden background, which is inherent in most paintings. Direct dialing is usually used as a dialing technique. Another feature of the mosaic panels made in the Byzantine style is the presence of clear contours of each object presented in the picture. As a rule, to achieve this, mosaic cubes laid out in a row were used for the outline. If the picture is viewed from a great distance, then such contours will make the acting characters more visible against the golden shimmering background.

Chic monumental canvases, distinguished by a special scope and scale of images, is a Byzantine mosaic. This is the oldest form of art of composing any image or picture from identical particles of small size. Central theme such mosaics was Christian ...

Chic monumental canvases, distinguished by a special scope and scale of images, is a Byzantine mosaic. This is the oldest form of art of composing any image or picture from identical particles of small size. The central theme of such mosaics was a Christian orientation, and the driving force on the way to improving the laying technology, creating new shades and textures was the desire to achieve the maximum visual effect.

Unlike Roman mosaics, which solved the secular tasks of decorating and giving functionality to rooms in private villas or public buildings, Byzantine mosaics had slightly different functions. Their main purpose was considered to give artistic value to the decoration of cathedrals, tombs, temples, basilicas, etc. Byzantine masonry is designed to perceive the image from a great distance - the paintings are somewhat uneven, "velvety" shades and textures, which "revives" the created images.

What is a Byzantine mosaic made of?

Many centuries ago, an amazing material called smalt was created in Byzantium. According to ancient legends, it was the Byzantines who discovered the unique properties of glass, which gains unprecedented strength when various metals are added to molten glass chips. This is how smalt turned out - glass mass with an admixture of gold, copper, mercury in different proportions. Each individual metal provided a certain shade of mosaic blocks, which, using simple tools, were given by craftsmen convenient for laying. geometric shapes. This is how the Byzantine mosaic turned out - an exclusive form of art made with the help of smalt.

"Zest" of the Byzantine style

A feature of the use of such a mosaic in temples was the creation of a chic golden background, which can be seen in most paintings. Usually, the masters used a direct set for laying, when a single golden field was obtained, which not only looked great in daylight, but also seemed “alive” in the mysterious reflections of candles. This effect of movement was determined by the play of shades and reflections of light on golden smalt.

An important nuance inherent in Byzantine masonry is the presence of precise contours of each depicted object. In order to achieve maximum clarity, the contours of the appearance of the object were laid out in mosaic cubes in a row from the side of its figure, and in one row from the side of the general background. If you enjoy the beauty and grandeur of such a canvas from a long distance, then the selected contours give the characters a spectacular effect, accentuating their face on a shimmering golden background.

Among other features of the later art of Byzantine mosaic laying, there is a tendency to maintain correct proportions. human body, which was sometimes depicted both in a turn and in a moving state.

Byzantine wall "painting": history of origin

The oldest preserved examples of mosaics date back to the 3rd-4th centuries, although the smalt was found around the 1st-2nd centuries BC. The most famous Byzantine tiles are the mosaic of Ravenna, as well as the image of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. In Kievan Rus, the remains of the production of smalt were found near St. Sophia of Kyiv. According to archaeologists, Russian masters were led by people from Byzantium. Byzantine mosaic has not lost its nobility and energy to this day: it is a creative flight, a reflection of spiritual luxury, an aura of harmony and peace.

Byzantine mosaics

After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 4th c. Byzantium, as the successor of traditions, retained the spirit and principles of Roman mosaics. Their semantic meaning was further developed here: pragmatic decorative art passed into the category of cult art.

The art of mosaic survives in Byzantium in the 4th-15th centuries. unprecedented bloom. Byzantine mosaics were primarily used to decorate temples. Here, the interiors of temples are decorated with mosaics from the floor to the dome, laying out colossal areas with smalt. This is probably why the interpretation of images has lost its exciting realism, it has become more conditional. Mosaic paintings of Byzantium depicted Christian saints, whose images were little known and vague in comparison with their deeds. If the masters of antiquity copied the surrounding reality, then the Byzantine masters modeled their world by similarity with the real one.

In Byzantium, mosaics became an imperial technique. The purpose of the mosaic determined the size of the images, the monumentality of the compositions, and the nature of the masonry. The velvety and lively unevenness of the Byzantine masonry was designed for the perception of the image from a great distance. Outstanding examples of mosaic art can be seen in Byzantine churches.

Byzantine mosaics are predominantly monumental canvases that adorn domes, niches and walls that make up temple spaces with volumes of hundreds and thousands of square meters. The walls and vaults of some temples were almost completely covered with mosaics.

Long before the advent of the icon, mosaic art was placed at the service of Christianity.

Beginning with Byzantium, the subsequent development of mosaics is strongly associated with Christianity. The idea of ​​the divinity of the images of the world, which was recreated on the walls of the temples, also determined the material used for the set of mosaics (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Fragment of a Byzantine mosaic

Byzantine mosaics, in contrast to Rome, were made of smalt, opaque (opaque) glass. Smalt is almost not subject to aging and natural destruction, so the Byzantines considered it as an unfading "eternal material that is not subject to decay." They were sure that smalt, as a material, reproduces the character of the heavenly world and the Kingdom of God, and mosaic, as a technical means, is called upon to glorify this Kingdom. Byzantine mosaics were often called "eternal painting". During this period, mosaic paintings were created from complex multi-figure compositions, inserts, ornaments, including mosaics in the churches of the Assumption in Nicaea (1067), Kahriy Jami in Constantinople (1316) and many others.

Epoch Byzantine Empire was the time of the highest flowering of mosaic art. Byzantine mosaics acquire a more refined character over time, they are made up of smaller modules, which allows for elegant masonry. The background of the images mainly acquires a golden color, symbolizing the divine light and the inexplicability of the mystery.

Mosaic in the houses of the lost Pompeii surprised and excited the poet Johann Goethe. He wrote that every time we look at her, "we all return again to simple and pure delighted amazement."

With the adoption of Christianity, mosaics and mosaic art also appeared in Kievan Rus in the × century. However, this type of arts and crafts was not widely used due to the too high price of materials that were brought from Constantinople. Byzantium established a state monopoly on the export of smalt. Therefore, the mosaic in Russia served as a symbol of luxury and royal power. For two centuries, the main premises of the temples were decorated with mosaics.

The first experience of the appearance of mosaics in Russia was the decoration of the churches of Hagia Sophia (1043–1046). Historical chronicles testify that Byzantine masters recruited Sophian mosaics. These monumental canvases are still clean and colorful, although almost 1000 years have passed since their creation.

Half a century later, for another cathedral - the Archangel Michael (1108-1113) in Kyiv - Kyiv masters already recruited mosaics. Why a full-fledged production of smalt was organized on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, now it did not have to be delivered at too high a price from Constantinople. The mosaic decoration of the temple was made of precious material of its own production. But then tragic events followed, connected with the Tatar-Mongol invasion, ties with Byzantium were interrupted, so there was a historical pause in the development of this art in Russia. It was forgotten for a long time and was revived only in the middle of the 18th century.

Florentine mosaic

In Western Europe in the Middle Ages, mosaics were mainly used to decorate churches. The masters of the Islamic world also masterfully mastered the mosaic technique.

During the Renaissance in Europe, another mosaic set technique was formed, which was called Florentine. It was in Florence that it was developed and from here it later spread throughout Europe.

The principle of this technique consisted in the selection of different-sized pieces of natural stone. They had to fit snugly against each other and emphasize the nature of the object being painted with their structure. The variety of sizes and silhouettes of the pieces that made up the mosaic was determined by the nature of the image.

Florentine technique was based on the use of natural patterns in stone. stone like art material This type of mosaic gave it both color and a specific texture inherent in a particular breed, which cannot be obtained in any other way. A specific feature of this particular type of mosaic was polishing, which helped to bring out the color of the stone with its inherent structure as deeply and juicy as possible.

During the Renaissance in Italy, mosaic works were created in special workshops at large temples. In particular, such workshops were at the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice and St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.

Initially, when creating mosaics using the Florentine technology, craftsmen used soft, easy-to-work marbles that were mined in southern Europe. However, gradually the geography of technology expanded.

Due to these circumstances, the material that was used for it became more and more diverse. Stone as a consumable color material was now supplied from all continents, expanding the color and texture potential of this technique (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Florentine mosaic

Around 1775, Roman craftsmen learned how to cut threads of molten glass of various shades into microscopic pieces. This allowed them to copy famous paintings in the form of miniature mosaics.

Russian mosaic

Russian masters from about the 13th century. remained aloof from the development of this type of art, the tragic events of the Tatar-Mongol invasion and the death of Byzantium itself isolated the Russian principalities from Europe, putting them on the brink of survival.

Only in the 17th century M. V. Lomonosov made an attempt to revive mosaic art. Empirically, not being able to borrow, he developed the technology of cooking smalt, putting its production in fact on an industrial basis. Using the newly created material, he, together with his students, typed the canvas "Poltava" and a series of portraits. They are rare not only for their time.

In St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. great work was carried out on the manufacture of smalt mosaics. During this period, an ensemble of mosaic paintings and ornaments was created here, which stood out for their high craftsmanship.

However, the mosaic initiative of M. V. Lomonosov did not receive historical development. A new and already final arrival of mosaics in Russia took place in the middle of the 19th century, when St. Isaac's Cathedral was being built in St. Petersburg. The walls of the cathedral were supposed to be decorated with mosaics, for which Russian artists created paintings. Then Italian masters were invited to help translate images from technology. oil painting in the technique of smalt mosaic.

For the production of material, a special mosaic workshop was formed at the Academy of Arts, which, among others, used the recipe for making smalt, developed by M.V. Lomonosov. Since that time, the artistic production of smalt has been put on stream. Thanks to this, the art of mosaic in Russia has received a fairly dynamic development, acquired its own academic style. In particular, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, known as the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, is the largest work of mosaic art in Europe. At the same time, it is undoubtedly the brightest example of the combination of mosaic and architecture in the world.

At the World Paris Fair, which took place in 1911, the most interesting products of Russian masters were presented. They used a wide palette of Ural gems in the manufacture of mosaics. The sophisticated European public was amazed by the juiciness of the colors of semi-precious and precious stones, which were used in the manufacture of volumetric vases. Experts noted in them a specific variety of Florentine mosaic, which since that time has been called Russian mosaic.

classic mosaic

The historical techniques of Roman, Byzantine and Florentine mosaics existed and continued to develop up to the present. In the course of the objective processes of the development of art, a certain general principle, which is commonly called the traditional classical mosaic. This is a universal generalized method of modular masonry. It can vary depending on the goals and priorities of certain art schools. The principle is called classical because of its collective nature and focus on the typical examples of traditional mosaic art available in the history of art. Separate personal arrangements of the fundamental provisions of the modular mosaic do not change the main principle. They without much difficulty fit into the common name of the classical mosaic. Modern mosaic as an art form is still elitist. She is able to satisfy the needs of both material and spiritual nature. The variety of modern materials provided the craftsmen with the opportunity wide choice techniques and styles in the manufacture of mosaics (Fig. 5).

Figure 5. Fragment of a classical mosaic

Mosaic panels and mosaics about the interior

The history of the emergence and development of mosaics as a very unusual art form is very interesting. Her amazingly expressive technique has always made it possible to create decorative images of amazing beauty. The materials and technique of applying them to the base made mosaic the most enduring form of arts and crafts that has come down to us since antiquity. Italian artist 15th century Domenico Ghirlandaio called the mosaic "an eternal painting". Mosaic sometimes survived where even the stone collapsed.

The modern interpretation considers the concept of "mosaic" in part fine arts as decorative and applied monumental art various genres. Such works form an image by arranging, setting and fixing on a surface, most often on a plane, multi-colored stones, smalt, ceramic tiles and other, sometimes very unusual materials. Nowadays, mosaic continues to be a valuable artistic means of decoration and interior decoration of premises and their external surfaces.

The artistic possibilities of mosaics are truly endless. With its help, you can create a decorative image both in the form of a simple mosaic pattern - a pattern, carpet, streamer, a single element of decoration to create an accent in the interior, and in the form of a complex composition and painting.

The process of creating an artistic mosaic consists, as before, in laying its elements by pressing into the ground, as well as in typing an image on cardboard or fabric with its further transfer to a primed surface.

History has not preserved either the name of the master who first thought of creating mosaic panels, or even the country where this discovery took place. Nevertheless, such panels come across among the ruins of Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Some decline in the well-established production of mosaic paintings occurred due to a change in social formation in Europe. With the destruction of the system of slavery, there was no one to do the rough work and chop natural stone, marble and granite into small modules. Very painstaking handmade, which was required to create mosaic panels laid out of small pieces of glass and stone, made their possession a privilege of very rich people and persons of royal blood. It seemed that mosaic compositions could become a thing of the past forever. However, the mosaic did not lose its popularity - mosaic panels gave the interior a completely unusual look.

Over time, the lost ancient secrets were replaced by new industrial technologies for the production and laying of mosaic compositions. Gradually, a lot of mosaic wall panels in the Roman or Byzantine technique were created in Russia (Fig. 6).

Figure 6. Mosaic portrait of Peter I by M. V. Lomonosov

The return of glass, or rather, smalt mosaics through the centuries to the markets of Europe made a kind of revolution in the field of creating mosaic panels.

Smalt mosaic can only be called glass mosaic, although they are made from the same raw material. Smalt mosaic pieces are much stronger than ordinary glass. During the production process, the molten glass mass is fired in special furnaces at a temperature of 1200 °C. Fired glass mass is very similar to ancient smalt.

As the extraction of natural stone expanded in the Urals, its own Russian mosaic appeared. She developed the ideas of Florentine mosaics, using marble and jasper, malachite and lapis lazuli. Great expressiveness was given to the works of Russian mosaic masters by both the color of the stone and its natural pattern.

Now, not only smooth walls and vaults, but also all kinds of architectural details - columns and pilasters - began to be laid out with mosaics. In addition, the mosaic appeared on various decorative objects with a complex shape and shaped surface: vases, bowls, caskets, pieces of furniture, even on the legs of lamps. This was partly facilitated by a new technique for making mosaics.

In Europe, the technique of the so-called reverse dialing was invented. With the help of mosaics made in this technique, in the XIX century. a great many town halls, theaters, churches and other buildings were decorated. This technique is as follows: in the workshop, modules are glued with the back side up on paper (tracing paper) with a life-size pattern of the future mosaic. Fragment by fragment, the typed mosaic is transferred to the place intended for it, pressing it with the back side into the fixing composition.

After the composition dries, the paper and glue are washed off. Like a decal, the front side of the mosaic is made visible.

The reverse set technique significantly saves time and effort when creating panels, but the flat surface is somewhat lacking in the play of light that brought medieval mosaics so much to life. Thanks to the reverse set technique, mosaic panels and paintings today adorn the buildings of museums, metro stations, shopping arcades, parks and playgrounds all over the world - from California to Moscow, from Israel to Japan.

Aztec stacked masks, which are inlaid with agate, obsidian, jasper and rock crystal, are an example of the surprisingly painstaking work of the ancient mosaic masters with the most durable natural materials.

Mosaic panels, due to their smooth, but faceted surface, are reputed ideal remedy decoration of large monotonous facades of modern buildings. Architects actively use such an unusual decor in their projects, so the spatial and linear dimensions of such mosaic paintings can amount to tens and even hundreds of meters.

In the process of creating any mosaic, 2 main stages can be distinguished: the creation of a graphic picture in color and the subsequent filling of it with paints of natural and artificial materials. The drawing of a modern mosaic picture can be made up of multi-colored pieces of wood, glass, stone or mother-of-pearl. Cubes, columns or plates of the same size are fixed to the plane with cement, wax or glue.

More often, masters perform multi-color mosaics, but sometimes a mosaic pattern is created on the basis of only 2 different colors (not necessarily a black and white combination) or even only 2 shades of the same color.

The effect of large hard brush strokes is achieved by using relatively large pieces of material when laying. Panels created using this technique are perfect for living rooms, decorating walls or floors in the pool, to give the facade of the building an exclusive look.

Subtle details and smooth color transitions can be reproduced using very small pieces. They allow you to achieve the effect of the integrity of the mosaic panel.

A mosaic panel can either be the central design element of a room when it is placed on a wall, ceiling or floor, or focus on other decor elements.

A mosaic panel made by a skilled craftsman is difficult to distinguish from a real picture; it can become an unexpected spectacular accent in any interior. Such a panel does not require a great distance in order to FULLY appreciate its beauty.

Art at all times is copyright. Mosaics created by talented artists bear the stamp of their gift, genius, embodied in smalt, stone, marble or other material. An artist or craftsman recreates in his work his spiritual world, way of thinking, his worldview. Why does he use this or that direction of a certain school, various techniques and styles. Therefore, each mosaic picture or panel, like any picture, must have its own style. Panels created in Greek, Roman, or Florentine styles are always very popular. Many classic mosaic paintings reflect the motifs of nature.

Smalt is an artificial material that was created as a result of a technical search by a curious person. The frozen smalt is pricked into modules of the required size, from which a mosaic is assembled. The size of each module is determined by the needs of artistic tasks.

AT Soviet times mosaic has lost its former elite and temple affiliation - mosaic panels in the style socialist realism were called upon to decorate palaces for the people: railway stations, houses of culture and the subway. Smalt, such a valuable and expensive material, was practically turned into a building material, which covered huge areas of walls and facades. These buildings, of course, stood out among others. Although the new role of the mosaic belittled its sacred value, it was a kind of classical style (Fig. 7).

Figure 7. Classical mosaic of the Soviet era

Classicism in the art of mosaics can be called classicism itself, and empire, and baroque, and neoclassicism, and eclecticism. Classics are all styles that existed before the advent of modernity.

Modern is a threshold style that completely rejects the experience of previous generations; he emerged as a troublemaker. Art Nouveau is often seen as a bourgeois revolution in the evolutionary gradual development of art. The Art Nouveau style is too characteristic, it fundamentally differs from all other styles that art historians collectively define as classics. The Art Nouveau style brought a lot of new things to every art form (Fig. 8).

Figure 8. Art Nouveau in mosaic

This style gave mosaics the use of such new materials as ceramics, glass and porcelain. Pebbles are back again. These materials began to be used on a par with traditional smalt and stone and as a purely typesetting material, as separate elements and details of the composition.

However, the main quality that Art Nouveau as a style introduced into the art of mosaics is the breaking of the traditional boundaries of technology and the mixing of masonry methods. The Art Nouveau style brought a new “anomalous” type of masonry, in which a difference in size appeared. He violated the modular expediency and unity of the principle of creating a mosaic composition. Violating all traditions and stereotypes, this style began to cross the classical and Florentine techniques.

Now, in one mosaic composition, masonry modules can be found, different in character and size. The very nature of modular figures began to change depending on the image. If in the classical mosaic only modules of certain sizes and types were used, then the Art Nouveau style, breaking traditions, combined traditional rectangular modules with exaggeratedly elongated and geometrically incorrectly cut modules in the same composition.

The most colorful figure of the Art Nouveau era can be considered the Spanish architect Gaudi. The fantastic architectural structures of this author are unusual even for the Art Nouveau style. The original and organic mosaics of Gaudí so naturally fit into the architectural environment, they emphasize the exotic plasticity of forms so vividly that if someone wants to find a replacement for them, then the architecture itself will definitely have to be changed.

After the Art Nouveau era, even the very concept of classical mosaic became much broader and more plastic (Fig. 9).

Modern mosaic is made up of a variety of materials. Currently, there are a significant number of types of mosaics. Among them, shiny, glazed, ceramic, pressed, glass and enameled mosaics are becoming increasingly popular.

However, the most famous type is glass mosaic, which is made using Venetian glass. Her tiles are produced from standard sizes from 1 × 1 to 5 × 5 cm. The color range of glass mosaic is rich and varied, it has more than 150 color shades.

Figure 9. Classic postmodern mosaic

Smalt mosaic is also based on glass, created from natural compounds. It differs from glass mosaic in its matte opaque surface. This quality does not deprive the smalt mosaic of its unique charm. It seems to glow from within, because each module of this mosaic is unique in its color shade.

Ceramic mosaic consists of modules, with their color scheme resembling ordinary ceramic tiles. Modules can be covered with glaze, and contain various craquelures, i.e. small cracks, blotches and color stains.

For unusual works a special collection with the effect of semi-precious aventurine stone, as well as "gold" and "silver" mosaics are produced. Exquisite mosaic with the addition of gold or platinum is made by craftsmen by hand from start to finish. Such an unusual mosaic, created by the hands of goldsmiths, is used as an element of expensive decor.

To date, the classic execution of smalt mosaics, as before, is regarded as the most sophisticated interior design option in the world. special occasions. Stone mosaics are mainly used to create images on the floor or terraces. Marble mosaics, as well as porcelain tiles, are used for finishing public buildings.

Wide specifications, accessibility, diversity, high artistic potential and the possibility of improvisation have made mosaics made of glass, glass mixtures and ceramics particularly popular for decorating a wide variety of premises. It is these materials that are the undisputed leaders among modern mosaic materials, as they help to realize any creative idea of ​​the master.

Over the past half century, artists' eyes have turned to another type of mosaic material, which was previously used for a completely different purpose. These are the seeds of various plants - unusual panels and paintings of a relatively small size are made from them. They are worthy of being able to decorate the most sophisticated interior.

The importance of choosing the material for the mosaic is difficult to dispute, however, this is not the most important thing in creating a unique look for the interior. It is much more important to give preference to one or another technology for creating a mosaic pattern.

Torcello Island

Just ten kilometers from St. Mark's Square in Venice, in the calm waters of the Venetian Lagoon, is the island of Torcello. One and a half thousand years ago it was the cradle of the Venetian Republic. The Byzantine atmosphere has been preserved on the island, the oldest of the Byzantine churches is located here.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta was built in 639 for the inhabitants of Altino, who fled the island from the pressure of the Lombards, seizing the territory of Northern Italy.

English writer John Ruskin narrates about that time as follows: “It is immediately evident that the exiles and sufferers built it: hastily erecting this temple on their island, they sought refuge in it in order to indulge in earnest and sad prayer, a temple that would not attract the gaze of enemies with its splendor"

On the left in the photo is the Cathedral, connected by a gallery with the Church of Santa Fosca

Outside, the cathedral has simple and austere forms, lacking the pomp of the Renaissance, and has a typical early Christian scheme with a vestibule and a baptistery, which makes up a monumental ensemble.
The interior of the cathedral contains unique Byzantine mosaics of the 11th and 12th centuries, considered the best in Northern Italy, frescoes, Byzantine carvings with peacocks, flowers and climbing vines, luminous marble, multi-colored mosaic floors, an old wooden ceiling.

The entire structure of the Cathedral of Torcello, Byzantine mosaics show the inextricable link between West and East.
A single gallery connects the cathedral with the church of Santa Fosca (Italian fosca - "dark, gloomy"), built in the first half of the ninth century according to the type of Byzantine martyriums.

The octagonal church of Santa Fosca, with Greek marble columns, is topped by a large round dome. Surrounded by porticos on five sides, it is a Greek cross in plan.
Next to the cathedral and the church in the 11th century, a high bell tower was built, majestically rising above the lagoon.

The isolation of this ensemble, the absence of decorations on the facades, and the mosaics of the 12th century, unique for the post-split Christian world, testify to the time when the faith was young, persecuted, and it had not yet been affected by the intra-confessional struggle.

Inside the cathedral is hidden a real treasury of Venetian Byzantine art, which has survived to this day. The perfect combination between art and spirituality is reflected in every detail - in the way the light flows around the interior, in the beauty of the finely carved marble columns dividing the space into three naves, in the golden glow of the mosaics.

Marble Romanesque bas-relief of the 11th-13th century with the tree of life, winged dragons and peacocks drinking water from a bowl

The majestic temple of the Virgin is covered with a beautiful carpet of flower petals and complex geometric interweaving of the Byzantine mosaic marble ornament. Mosaic decorates the altar part of the temple.

In the midst of the blinding heavenly gold under the dome, the Mother of God hovers in blue-gold robes with the Baby in her arms. A tear rolls down her cheek from her large eyes.

The image of the Savior in the apse of the southern aisle

Here you can see the earliest known scene of the Last Judgment - a grandiose mosaic in six tiers. The origins of the image of this plot go back to the painting of the Christian catacombs.

In the upper part of the mosaic in the center of the composition is depicted Christ - "Judge of the world".
To the right and left of the Savior are angels - guardians of Heaven.

In the center of the mosaic is the Throne prepared for Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, on which the Gospel lies - a symbol of the living word, Logos, teachings.
At the throne Adam and Eve, praying for mercy and Angels.

Above the portal is another image of the Virgin Mary, who intercedes for humanity at the hour of judgment and accompanies all believers with her prayers.

To the left of the Throne, the earth gives up the dead lying in it, and they rise from the tombs at the age of Christ. Man-eating beasts uproot those they have killed, and Angels bring them back to life.

On the mosaic on the right is another scene: here the sea gives up the dead. They are met by angels blowing trumpets to raise the dead. "Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hell gave up the dead that were in them; and each one was judged according to his deeds"

The scene of the weighing of the soul: while the angel is weighing the good and evil deeds committed by a person, demons with long poles are trying to tip the scales in their favor.

Mosaic picture depicting the triumph of the righteous in heavenly Jerusalem.
The mosaic depicts Adam and Eve in Paradise. At their feet are the first people on earth, the progenitors of the human race - as an image of the whole bowed righteous, redeemed humanity. Nearby is a prudent robber with a cross.
A cherub stands at the door, after the crime of Adam, he closed access to Eden.

Mosaic depicting a picture of hell.
Angels escort unrepentant sinners to Hell, including the emperor in a diadem, and a bishop with an omophorion, and a non-believer in a turban, and a recently deceased rich man still wrapped in funeral shrouds. Somewhere among them is Attila.

All of them are depicted retaining traces of their former authority and significance in the society of their time, wearing precious jewelry and rich clothes, but their hypocrisy, vanity and pride are an obstacle to entering the kingdom of heaven and gaining eternal life. And, on the contrary, repentance, adversity, meekness, righteousness are the only conditions for this.

Angels do not allow unrepentant sinners to get out of hell, where they are destined to burn, tormented by demons.
Hell is depicted in the form of a fiery hell, in which a terrible beast, a sea monster, sits with the prince of darkness sitting on it with the soul of Judas in his hands.

The mosaics are great. One can only imagine what a powerful impression they made on the fishermen of Torcello, closed in the early medieval religious self-consciousness, how they frightened and what hope they gave to a believer ...

In a provincial town located on the coast Adriatic Sea, rulers often changed, and each of them tried to decorate Ravenna with new palaces and temples, as a result of which italian gem becomes the center architectural art countries. Located between East and West, it is a real treasure trove of unique historical monuments, eight of which are under the protection of UNESCO.

However, the main attraction of the blessed Ravenna is considered to be the most valuable mosaic, which can be seen literally everywhere. The quality of its execution surprises and fascinates everyone who touches the cultural heritage of the city with a rich past.

Art of the Byzantine Empire

In the Byzantine Empire, the production of mosaics was put on stream, and all the temples and royal palaces were decorated with colored glass canvases. Of course, this is not a completely correct name, since such art is not painting. Creators greatest works they were not written with paints, but were collected from pieces of smalt.

The heyday of mosaic art falls on the 5th-6th centuries, called the golden age. The most famous masterpieces in the world are the mosaics of Ravenna and the images of Hagia Sophia (Constantinople). The historical temple in Istanbul to this day has retained all the power and grandeur with which it was endowed by its creators - the creators of Ancient Byzantium. The most beautiful works of great value for world culture have been preserved in good condition.

Temples and mosaics of Ravenna: inexpressiveness and luxury

Early Christian religious buildings dating back to the 5th-7th centuries, when Ravenna was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, will not surprise anyone with their architectural solutions and special beauty. Guests ancient city they admit that outwardly it does not make any impression: inexpressive streets, inconspicuous squares, the absence of a fabulous atmosphere and special color. However, behind the gray facades of the temples and thick brick walls, the mosaic heritage of the city is hidden. Genuine works of art are hidden from prying eyes and, in order to find them, you will have to get a map of a settlement located in northeast Italy.

The mosaics of Ravenna are so famous all over the world that others cultural objects go unnoticed by tourists. Priceless treasures unmatched in any other city in the world are hidden behind faceless facades. historical buildings. Before talking about the main pride of Ravenna, it is necessary to pay attention to the features of such canvases.

Mosaics from smalt

Mosaic is a favorite type of decoration for Christian churches, in which the aesthetic ideals of the religious worldview are most fully embodied. Such painting was developed by the Byzantines, who created a special technology for the production of smalt. They added a variety of metals (gold, mercury, copper and others) to easy-to-handle glass and obtained shades of different colors. The main element of the mosaic canvas was identical in size and neatly laid out cubes.

Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna became the main component in the decoration of tombs, temples, basilicas, where visual tasks come to the fore. The main theme of the monumental canvases was Christian stories and biblical stories. The smalt laying technique improved every year, and the authors of wonderful compositions developed new compositions and colors.

Technology features

What is the difference between Byzantine and Roman mosaics? Main Feature becomes the use of a golden background, on which cubes with an unpolished surface were laid out, differing in their position relative to other elements. In addition, the masters used even contours of the borders when depicting bodies or objects, which gave clarity to the composition against a radiant background. Thus, a single canvas was created, beautifully shimmering in the reflections of candles and in natural light. A delightful play of color and reflections created the effect of the movement of a painting that lives its own life.

The artists of the Ravenna school, who worked in the period from the 5th to the 7th century, worked with a palette that consisted of smalt of basic tones and did not differ in a variety of shades. Most often, the cubes had a rectangular, square shape, although in some paintings you can see round and oval elements. large sizes- from 7 to 15 mm.

Legacy and modernity

The mosaics of Ravenna, which became the western capital of the Roman Empire, were in no way inferior to the amazing works of Constantinople. The city, which bore the title of a fount of art and culture, keeps a rich heritage that has become a source of inspiration for famous writers and artists. Modern city did not forget the ancient craftsmanship: in one of the academies there is a department of mosaics, which is attended by both Italian and foreign students. It hosts symposiums and seminars that bring together experts from all over the world.

In-demand Ravenna talents carry out restoration work, create stunning copies of the most famous works that can be purchased at art galleries cities. The authorities of the capital of the mosaic are aware that the main task is not only to preserve the national treasures, but also to make them public.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The oldest architectural monument is in Ravenna. The mosaics, made in the 5th century, were created by Byzantine masters, who were brought from Constantinople by the daughter of Emperor Theodosius the Great. In fact, as scientists have established, this is not a real tomb, since Galla is buried in Rome, and this building, which looks rather nondescript, was a small chapel dedicated to St. Lawrence, the patron saint of the family dynasty.

In a brick building that has grown into the ground over several centuries, a real treasure is hidden, the sight of which takes the breath away from every visitor. Rays of the sun penetrate through the narrow windows, lined with jasper plates, and in the meager light, the cubes of the Ravenna mosaic shimmer like precious stones. There is an explanation for this miracle - this is how smalt plays, conveying various shades of color. The ghostly light falling on the rough surface is reflected at different angles, and the vaults and walls of the mausoleum seem to dissolve before the eyes of admiring visitors.

Divine beauty

The mosaics of Ravenna, whose photos delight even people who are far from art, immediately catch the eye. The dome of the mausoleum, which is under the protection of UNESCO, is a blue starry sky, in its center a golden cross shines, directed to the east, and the Byzantines decorated four vaults with the symbols of the evangelists - a bull, a lion, an eagle and an angel. Here you can see the departing world of antiquity, and the masters displayed on the canvases a completely different beauty - divine.

Symbolism

The young Jesus Christ is depicted here as the Good Shepherd, surrounded by a flock of sheep. This is a common image of our Savior for early Christianity, only whose purple-gold robes speak of who we really are. The figures of saints appear against a blue background, reminiscent of ancient characters in Roman togas, and grape bunches - of pagan bacchanalia.

However, the artists who made the mosaics endowed each image with a symbolic meaning: sheep listening to Christ are the flock, pigeons and deer drinking from a transparent stream are Christians absorbing the new teaching, and bunches of grapes are the Garden of Eden, into which believers fall.

Mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale

Near the mausoleum is the famous Church of San Vitale in Ravenna. The mosaics of the basilica, made by Byzantine masters, are the main wealth of the ascetic-looking architectural monument, where the relics of the patron saint of the blessed city - St. Vitaly are buried. Christians who thought about spiritual beauty, and not external beauty, did not decorate their temples, saving luxury for interior decoration. Considered the most beautiful outside of Constantinople, the Byzantine mosaic of San Vitale in Ravenna, completed in the 6th century, adorns the chancel, apse and altar dais. Scenes from Old Testament, images of Jesus with saints, Emperor Justinian with his wife are very different from the paintings in the mausoleum.

The main background in the paintings is and the figures look as if they have lost their material. They have turned into flat silhouettes and seem incorporeal. Even in spite of the heavy drapery of the clothes, under their folds, no physical bodies are felt. The gaze of huge eyes on distant faces is captivating.

Spiritual Essence

On the canvases, the ingenious masters displayed not the momentary, but turned to the eternal, showing not the material shell, but the divine essence, and motion is replaced by frozen images and a clear outline instead of volume. There are no smooth transitions of shades, and the mosaic of San Vitale in Ravenna is a large patch of color.

Byzantine anonymous authors never saw the wife of the emperor and tried to convey not a portrait resemblance, but a spiritual essence, embodying their ideas of beauty. Her husband, a great monarch, is depicted at the moment when he gives the church a golden vessel as a gift. The head of Justinian, who did not make a single important decision without his wife, is decorated with a halo. It is impossible to see a hint of personal qualities here: everything carnal and momentary remained outside the temple, and the emperor with the other half are depicted as ideal rulers.

The main colors of the panel, which emphasizes the solemn atmosphere of the basilica, are white, blue, gold and green. Pieces of smalt are stacked at different angles, and the light emitted by them creates the impression of a wonderful atmosphere penetrated by warm sunbeams. It is not known what strikes the most: a well-thought-out composition, finely crafted details or a perfect match of colors.

Cloths of the Orthodox Baptistery

In the 5th century there appeared architectural object, recognized as one of the most significant monuments in the world, is the city baptistery. The mosaic of Ravenna, complemented by marble inlays and stucco, seems to be inscribed in the dome of the building, intended for baptism and being the same age as the mausoleum of Galla Placidia.

The craftsmen used a unique technique: all the figures and the elements separating them are a kind of radius, and golden rays stream from the central disk. On the dome panel you can see scenes of the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit, 12 apostles bearing martyr's crowns. The figures of the messengers of God, depicted on a dark blue background, are shown in motion, and the surface they step on looks lighter. The chitons of the disciples of Jesus are dominated by two colors - gold and white, personifying spirituality. The faces of the apostles, who have a pronounced individuality, are solemn.

Theme of Heavenly Jerusalem

The disciples of Christ are shown as bearers of the light of Christian enlightenment. The Savior is baptized, and the outgoing grace through the apostles is transferred to the earthly church, which is symbolized by the depicted altars. And the fruit-bearing trees on the dome of the baptistery are associated with the Christian soul, bearing good fruit. Such a rich decoration of the religious building emphasized for believers the special significance of the rite of baptism, and all overall composition connected with the theme of the New Jerusalem - the city sent by Jesus the victorious to Earth.

One can only admire the special gift of nameless talents that modern Ravenna is proud of. The mosaics and frescoes of the baptistery, laid out of small stones with a rich color palette, were made with jeweler's precision by local, not Byzantine, craftsmen. They created delightful compositions dazzling with rich colors.

Priceless works

Ancient Ravenna, which has turned from a great capital into a provincial city, is incredibly popular with tourists. Many years have passed, it has changed, but its priceless masterpieces have survived their creators and are perfectly preserved. The amazing mosaics of Ravenna, from which it is difficult to take your eyes off, are of interest to all tourists who appreciate beauty.