Mosaic

A few years ago my friend Melissa gave me the book Finding Beauty in a Broken World by Terry Tempest Williams.  I am a huge TTW fan, but even I thought it was a stretch to write a cohesive commentary that covered a mosaic workshop in Ravenna, observations of beleaguered prairie dogs, her brother’s death and a trip to Rwanda to help create a genocide memorial.  But she does it – weaving all these pieces together using the metaphor of the mosaic – the idea of taking small broken pieces and shaping them into a something beautiful.

I was fascinated with the art of mosaic long before I read Williams’ book, but her description of learning to cut the tesserae (little cubic stones used in mosaic) solidified my appreciation of craft, and engraved Ravenna on my itinerary for future travel.

And here we are.  Amid steady rain, and with umbrella in hand, we set out to begin to see this city known for mosaics.  Our first stop this morning was the Domus dei Tappeti di Pieti, or the House of Stone Carpets.  This 6^th Century Byzantine house was just discovered in 1993.  Excavations revealed many layers, dating back to the second century. However, after all the layers were peeled away and carefully preserved elsewhere, they put back and exhibited the sixth-century floors – all 12 rooms. (I have to say it was killing me not to be able to take photographs in this space.)  Because this was a private home, the mosaic was primarily decorative not religious. Some of the floors were just geometric, abstract designs.  Others were more narrative.  Of course, I particularly appreciated the design on the floor of the very center room called the “Dance of the Geniuses of the Seasons,” described as “a very rare depiction showing the geniuses dancing in a circle.”  Here is a link that shows some of these mosaic floors, though I will say none of the photos I found on the Internet do them justice.   http://www.domusdeitappetidipietra.it/index.php?option=com_ponygallery&Itemid=10&func=detail&id=2

Mausoleum di Galla Placidia

Basilica di San Vitale

In 402, “barbarian tribes” were threatening Rome, so the Roman Emperor moved his capital to Ravenna. It was during this time that the city became the center of late Roman mosaic art.  The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (daughter, sister, mother of Emperors) was built and decorated with perhaps the most beautiful mosaics in this city in 425 – 430.  It is generally thought that Galla Placidia died and was buried in Rome around A.D. 450, and this mausoleum does not actually contain any remains.  From the outside it is a very humble little building – but the mosaic work inside is simply opulent.  95% of the mosaic in the mausoleum is thought to be original.  Photos are not allowed inside, so once again, I am providing you with a link: http://mosaicartsource.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/galla-placidia-mausoleum-in-ravenna/

The Goths of Hungary conquered Ravenna in 476 and 1,000 years of the Roman Empire came to an end.  In 540, Byzantine Emperor Justinian conquered the Goths. Justinian is credited for turning Ravenna into the “pinnacle of civilization.”  It was during this second half of the 6^th Century that the Basilica of San Vitale was created.  The sumptuous mosaics in this Basilica are clearly religious with a sprinkling of politics.  The centerpiece, high and directly in front of the altar shows Christ sitting in a celestial orb.  To the left (JC’s right) is an angel, then Justinian – wearing both a halo and a crown.  Clearly the mosaic is meant to show that Emperor Justinian was Jesus’ right hand man here on earth.  This web site has the best photos of the mosaics from inside this Basilica. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravenna-san-vitale

Part of what is so amazing to me is that these buildings and their interior mosaics have survived the centuries of wars.  The area around the train station was completely destroyed WWII bombs, but these ancient masterpieces survived. 

I recently read a short, heart-wrenching memoir called “Paradise-Lost” by Momena Sayed.  She writes about her childhood home, Khandahar, Afghanistan.  She says her mother described Afghanistan, before all the wars, as “paradise.” And Kabul as “a great jewel of city, the exotic destination for people from all over the world.” And the museums there as “filled with the most beautiful and rarest arts.”  I can’t help but wonder, what is left of those “most beautiful and rarest of arts” in Khandahar?

As a dancer I accept that my artwork is ephemeral.  The more I study history, and read the newspaper, I am astonished (and grateful) that there is so much art that survives.