Basilica of Saint Mark, Venice - the Ascension cupola

music:
Old Roman chant - Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi (Part II)
youtu.be/X5xoJfXT1LU?si=Tjj5luVnwdwjuoB_

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St Mark's Basilica
Basilica di San Marco
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark
Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco

Location: Venice, Italy
Denomination: Catholic Church
Consecrated: 8 October 1094
Titular saint: Mark the Evangelist

Designation: Cathedral (minor basilica)
1807–present
Episcopal see: Patriarchate of Venice
Prior status
Designation: Ducal chapel
c. 836–1797
Tutelage: Doge of Venice

Built: c. 829–c. 836
Rebuilt: c. 1063–1094
Styles: Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark%27s_Basilica
www.basilicasanmarco.it/?lang=en

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THE ASCENSION CUPOLA

In the centre of the basilica, at the intersection with the transept, the dome celebrates the concluding mystery of the life of Jesus: his Ascension to heaven.
The decoration of the Ascension cupola, dating to the second half of the 12th century, is the mosaic masterpiece of St. Mark’s and the heart of the church’s spiritual message. It is considered to be the best mosaic expression in the whole church for structure, quality and preservation.
In the starry circle of the centre Christ, seated on a rainbow, is drawn heavenwards by four flying angels. Below, in a great concentric circle, the Virgin between two angels and the 12 apostles are gazing upwards, alternated by plants of various forms and sizes, suggesting the messianic environment of the mount of olives where Luke situates the episode of the Ascension.
Farther below, between the windows, there are sixteen female figures in a dancing sequence personifying the Virtues and Beatitudes: Hope, Faith, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance, Prudence, Humility, Gentleness, Contrition, Abstinence, Mercy, Patience, Chastity, Modesty, Constancy and Charity, this last crowned and in royal garments, “mother of all the virtues” as suggested by the inscription surrounding her.
Here we have the three theological virtues (Faith, Hope and Charity), the four moral virtues (Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance) and then another nine virtues that are an integral part, in accordance with the mediaeval concept, of the four moral virtues. If the Ascension scene has an illustrious Byzantine precedent in the cupola of St. Sophia’s in Salonika (11th century) the setting of the sixteen Virtues is absolutely Venetian.

On the spandrels the four Evangelists are writing the beginning of their Gospels: each one is schematised from the side in his study and the four symbols already seen in the presbytery cupola spandrels are lacking. The two cupolas are correlated inasmuch as in the presbytery the Evangelists merely outline salvation whereas in the Ascension cupola it is openly manifested. Each Evangelist holds his own Gospel open at the first words.
Beneath, the four biblical rivers – Gihon, Pison, Tigris, Euphrates – pour their waters on the community of the faithful, here too with clear baptismal symbology.
The Greek master who, with his assistants, created this cycle has been defined as the “agitato style” master. There could be no more suitable definition of this mosaicist who, in the creation of these scenes of the Death, Resurrection and Ascent, expresses all the dramatic tension and renewal of humanity and the universe. He manipulates the line in a myriad of curves that delineate the faces and create highly complicated folds that wind in broad spirals, spreading out into elegant fan-shaped drapery and extending in an extremely harmonious fluttering that recalls Hellenic solutions

The colours used are the most precious, all obtained by mixing the vitreous paste with lapis lazuli, copper, gold, silver or iron; and when the chromatic element and the luminosity of the enamels were not enough to render immaterial and transfigure an image, highlighting was carried out with gold, silver and whites. While the human faces of the apostles are highlighted in black, those of Christ, the Virgin and the angels have bright highlighting that gives the impression of a divine light emanating from the faces themselves.

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Taken in: Italy / Veneto / Venice / San Marco (show map)

Taken on: July 12, 2023

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Camera: samsung Galaxy A54 5G, 23mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	samsung Galaxy A54 5G
Focal Length:	23mm
ISO:	400
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
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