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What features distinguish the mosaics of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna?
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mosaic
Mosaic floor fragment from a synagogue or church, cut stone with mortar from Israel, late 5th–6th century ce; in the Jewish Museum, New York City.
The mosaics of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna are distinguished by several key features that mark the transition toward Byzantine artistic traditions in the West:
- Dominance of Gold and Silver: These mosaics are among the first in Italy to feature a dominant gold background, complemented by the use of silver, which was a novelty at the time.1
- Integration with Architecture: Unlike earlier works where mosaics appeared as inserted panels, the decorations here form a continuous skin covering the walls. The number and size of windows were reduced to maximize wall space for imagery, and the figures are scaled to match the dimensions of the architectural components, effectively replacing pilasters in the room's articulation.1
- Stylistic Shifts: Compared to 5th-century mosaics, these works exhibit more static figures with less depth and plasticity.1
- Material Usage: In several scenes depicting Christ, the faces and hands are rendered using stone cubes rather than glass tesserae, creating a distinct contrast in texture and appearance.1