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WALKING TOURS OF ROME

Rome's Oldest Apse Mosaic

24/8/2019

 
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Apse Mosaic, church of Santa Pudenziana, Rome
Apse mosaic, Santa Pudenziana

The Paleochristian mosaic in the apse of Santa Pudenziana (which is thought to have been built c. 390) is the oldest mosaic to be found in the apse of any church in Rome. 

The church is dedicated to St Pudentiana, sister of St Praxedes (whose own church lies nearby), and daughter of the Roman senator Pudens, who is thought to have given hospitality to St Peter in a house on this site, when the apostle first arrived in Rome. 


As originally constructed, the mosaic was considerably larger than it is at present. However, by 1588 the outermost of the twelve apostles had disappeared. The two figures behind Saints Peter and Paul have been identified by some as the two sisters, Saints Pudenziana and Prassede, and by others as personifications of the Churches of the Circumcision and the Gentiles. Christ is seated on a throne above the apostles and extends his right hand in blessing, while in his left he holds a book. Above the arcade of windows, which forms the background to the figures, are rows of decoration in green and gold (intended to represent the tiles of the roof). Above the roof we see groups of buildings. In the colorfully striated sky, we see the symbols of the four evangelists and an immense jewelled cross. 

​

Paleochristian mosaic, church of Santa Pudenziana, Rome

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    Walking Tours For Discerning Travellers

    My name is David Lown and I am an art historian from Cambridge, England. Since 2001 I have lived in Italy, where I run private and
    small-group walking tours
    of Rome.

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  • Home
  • Private Tours
  • Small-Group Tours
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • St Peter's Basilica
    • Altars >
      • Altar of St Joseph
      • Altar of St Gregory the Great
      • Altar of the Madonna of Succour
      • Altar of St Sebastian
      • Altar of the Lie
      • Altar of the Presentation of the Virgin
      • Altar of St Jerome
      • Altar of the Transfiguration
      • Altar of Pope Leo the Great
    • Monuments >
      • Countess Matilda of Canossa
      • Maria Clementina Sobieska
      • Queen Christina of Sweden
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      • Pope Alexander VIII
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      • Pope Pius X
      • Pope Benedict XV
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      • Pope John XXIII
      • The Stuarts
    • Portico >
      • Door of Death
      • Door of Good and Evil
      • Central Door
      • Door of the Sacraments
      • Holy Door
    • Pieta
    • Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament
    • Cathedra Petri
    • Crossing >
      • Baldacchino
      • Confessio
      • Dome
      • St Longinus
      • St Helena
      • St Veronica
      • St Andrew
    • St Peter
    • Chapel of the Choir
    • Chapel of the Baptistery
    • Nave
  • Sistine Chapel
    • North Wall
    • South Wall
    • East Wall
    • Ceiling: Part One >
      • Ceiling: Part Two
      • Ceiling: Part Three
    • The Last Judgement
  • Fountains
    • Trevi Fountain
    • Fontana della Barcaccia
    • Fountain of the Triton
    • Fountain of the Bees
    • Fountain of Moses
    • Fountain of the Four Rivers
    • Fountain of the Acqua Paola
    • Fountain of the Turtles
    • Fountain of the Naiads
    • Fountain of the Cannonball
    • Piazza del Popolo
    • Fountain of the Pantheon
    • Fountains of Piazza Farnese
    • Fountain of Goddess Roma
    • Rioni Fountains
    • Street Fountains
    • Venice Marries the Sea
    • St Peter's Square
    • Fountain of the Moor
    • Fountain of Neptune
    • Fountain of the Porter
    • Fountain of the Seahorses
  • Gallery
    • Piazzas >
      • Piazza del Campidglio
      • Piazza del Quirinale
      • Piazza del Popolo
      • Piazza di Spagna
      • Piazza Navona
      • Piazza S. M. in Trastevere
      • Piazza San Pietro
    • Mosaics
    • Fountains
    • Churches
    • Ancient Rome
    • Palaces
    • Domes
    • Papal Coats of Arms
    • Street Shrines
    • Old Photographs
    • Borromini & the Baroque