What is the architectural style of San Vitale?
Byzantine architecture
Ancient Roman architecture
Basilica di San Vitale/Architectural styles
Who was the architect of San Vitale?
The church was begun by Bishop Ecclesius in 526 under the Ostrogothic queen Amalasuntha (died 535) and was consecrated in 547. It was dedicated to the martyr Vitalis, the patron saint of Ravenna.
What does the Justinian mosaic in the church of San Vitale?
This mosaic thus establishes the central position of the Emperor between the power of the church and the power of the imperial administration and military. Like the Roman Emperors of the past, Justinian has religious, administrative, and military authority.
What artistic technique was used to create Emperor Justinian and his attendants?
When Justinian came to power in 527 CE, he underscored his legitimacy by leveraging both the artistic and political power of mosaics. Justinian’s authority over the government, senate, and church are clearly conveyed through a series of mosaics in Ravenna, Italy.
How is the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna best described?
The church is most famous for its wealth of Byzantine mosaics. St Vitale boasts the largest and best preserved mosaics outside of Istanbul. The church is of extreme importance in Byzantine art, as it is the only major church from the period of the Emperor Justinian I to survive virtually intact.
How does the shape of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna differ from traditional basilica design?
How does the shape of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna differ from traditional basilica design? It is octagonal. What city was the center of imperial life in the Roman Empire in the fifth and early sixth centuries?
Why did Justinian built San Vitale?
This one of the most important reasons why San Vitale was built: to glorify the Emperor Justinian and the whole empire under his rule. The opposite wall of the apse contains the mosaic that depicts Empress Theodora, who was considered to be one of the most remarkable women of the middle Ages (Kleiner, 317).
Who built the church of San Vitale?
Bishop Maximian
Bishop Maximian completed construction in 547, preceding Justinian’s creation of the Exarchate of Ravenna, which followed his partial re-conquest of the Western Roman Empire. The construction of the church was sponsored by local banker and architect Julius Argentarius.
What type of church was most commonly constructed in the Byzantine Empire?
From the 5th century CE, the basilica church was common throughout the Byzantine Empire. By the 6th century CE, the standard timber roof had given way to a dome-vaulted one in larger basilicas.
Why was the Church of San Vitale built?
(Lowden, 134). So those two panels are built in order to ensure Emperor Justinian’s rule over Ravenna and glorify the whole empire under the rule of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. The Church of San Vitale is one of the most important architecture during Byzantine period.