Old Meets Older in Rome

Saint Pudenziana's Fourth Century Apsidal Mosaic




Last Saturday I paid a visit to two ancient Churches in Rome that serve as repositories for superb examples of early Christian art: Saint Pudenziana and Saint Prassede. Saint Pudenziana is located a short walk from the Basilica of Saint Mary Major and its apsidal mosaic, dating from the late fourth century, is one of the finest examples of Classical art in Rome. The mosaic depicts Christ enthroned, flanked by Saints Peter and Paul, together with other early Christian saints. To appreciate the full context of the mosaic’s story, I did a little background investigation into its history. Art critic June Hager describes the work as “the last gasp” of Classical art in the city, and that “there is nothing comparable in all of Rome” to this mosaic, in terms of its age and combination of Classical and Christian elements. The mosaic “offers a window into the Roman world through which Christianity entered.” We are treated to a scene straight out of Ancient Rome; Christ and the Apostles are depicted wearing the traditional garb of the era, perhaps reflecting what the Emperor and Senators wore over 1,700 years ago. The image is remarkably lifelike; there is a true sense of proportion throughout, and the features of Christ and the Saints are quite realistic. Most of the ancient Christian artwork in Rome is Byzantine-inspired, from the eleventh or twelfth century. However in Byzantine art, the proportions are one-dimensional; the characters portrayed usually possess an almost otherworldly expression, with wide-eyed features, set against a solid gold background. The clothes worn by the subjects in these early medieval mosaics are the traditional robes of Byzantium. After the fall of the Western Empire in the fifth century, the Eastern Empire, centered in Constantinople, continued to rise in prominence while her influence in art and culture spread into the West. However, in Saint Pudenziana, the style found in this mosaic actually predates the ancient Byzantine artwork that dominates most early Christian art in Rome. The apsidal mosaic in Saint Pudenziana, dating from before the sack of Rome in 411, is Classical art in its purest form. It is truly remarkable that it survives to this day and further, that it depicts a Christian scene.

Located about a five-minute walk from Saint Pudenziana was the next Church on my list: Saint Prassede. This Church possesses a precious relic from Christ’s passion. The column to which He was tied during the scourging is reserved in a side chapel, having been brought to Rome from Constantinople centuries ago. The beauty of this Church is found in its explosion of ninth-century Byzantine art. The side chapel, named the Chapel of Zeno, is almost completely encased in bright, colorful mosaics depicting nature scenes, angels, Christ and the Virgin Mary. Throughout the Middle Ages in fact, this small chapel was referred to by Romans as the “garden of paradise” for its glittering and varicolored beauty. For it is here that we see just how powerful Byzantine influence was in Western Europe’s sacred art. The apsidal mosaic in the Church is probably one of the best examples of early Byzantine art in Rome, or anywhere for that matter. Behold Byzantium in its finest and purest; there is a mystical and ethereal quality to Eastern mosaics that sharply distinguishes them from later works of the Renaissance and Baroque in Western Europe. The figures in Saint Prassede's mosaics are flat, one-dimensional. The subject's feet are barely touching the ground as they appear to be on the verge of levitating. This is a forceful break away from the style seen in Saint Pudenziana, which is rooted in the proportion and realism of the Classical age. With the introduction of the Byzantine school in Rome, the realism captured in Saint Pudenziana's mosaic will not be seen again until the Renaissance.

Saint Prassede's Ninth Century Apsidal Mosaic



Scenes from "The Garden of Paradise" Chapel



Saints Peter and Paul