Ciao, studenti di UT San Antonio!
Ravenna was this week’s destination for UT San Antonio’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts students abroad. Within this quaint, country town, there are many remnants of different leadership eras. The western Romans, Ostrogoths and Byzantines all left marks of their presence through art and architecture.
The first stop on the itinerary was the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which set the stage for the rest of the city. The tomb was adorned in tile mosaics, which tell biblical stories through the utilization of doves, deer and lambs. The animal symbolism combines with other elements of Byzantine style, such as a beardless depiction of Christ over the entrance of the tomb. The colored tiles grab the attention of those who visit this sacred site, filling them with curiosity about the influential Roman woman who is honored here.
Afterwards, the class traveled to the Neonian Baptistry. English masters students Elise Trumbull and Kennedy Huizar presented how there is visible influence left by the Ostrogoths and Byzantines within the building. They also noted how the same structure was used for different purposes throughout time, which is common for most sacred Roman buildings. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization site was originally a Roman bath and was later transformed into a baptistery under the rule of Bishop Ursus in the late fourth or early fifth century. After Bishop Neon came into rule, the ceiling of the baptistry received its memorable baptismal mosaic of Christ, which travelers and locals alike still adore today.
Following the Neonian Baptistry, the class visited Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. When the Byzantine people captured Ravenna, they did their best to overwrite the ways of the Arian Ostrogoths but did not erase them completely. Within the mosaics here, the Byzantine style is interrupted by hands on the depicted columns. These hands are from members of Theodoric’s Arian court.
Since the original Basilica di Sant’Apollinare is located right outside of Ravenna in Classe, COLFA had to visit this location as well. Trumbull continued her presentation of Byzantine and Ostrogothic influence here, noting all of the time periods visible within the building’s architecture and mosaics. She pointed out the influences from the sixth through ninth centuries, touching base on how the original flooring was plundered in the 15th century.
Next week, COLFA will be heading to the Amalfi coast to visit the cities of Naples, Sorrento, and Pompei! Keep up with academics abroad by following @lettersfromurbino on Instagram.
Alla prossima, Studenti. Ciao!
