DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55205#0024
i8 THE MOSAICS OF THE SOUTHERN VESTIBULE
Ravenna, on the Paris medallion and on the coins. We have before us the
imaginary figure of a pious emperor.
The intention of the artist appears to have been to express by means of the
hands of the two Emperors the traditional attitude of prayer and intercession
(see Appendix, 60, 61, 90, 91). The left hand of Constantine and the right one
of Justinian are fully seen. Both Emperors have their other hand almost entirely
hidden by the models of the City and of the Church, and only the bent fingers
up to the second joint are shown. To avoid an arresting symmetry in the two
figures, Justinian’s arm is bent at a sharper angle than the arm of Constantine.
The hands give an impression of a common schematization, yet they differ
intentionally in shape and gesture. Constantine’s hand is more delicate, and
Justinian’s hand is larger and heavier and its fingers are set wider apart. Other-
wise the correspondence in the drawing of the hands—the right hand of
Justinian, the left hand of Constantine—is very close, and as in the hands of the
Virgin, the tendons, rarely indicated in Byzantine painting, are sharply marked,
as in examples at Daphni and St. Sophia of Kiev (see Appendix, 16, 61, 90).
The Emperors are full-robed in a long and rather closely fitting tunic or chiton
reaching almost to the ankles. The wide opening at the top of the divitission,
beneath which the chiton is worn, leaves the neck bare to the clavicle. Only the
lower part of the chiton, where it falls below the upper garment, is visible. The
chiton is blue, of the same shade and weave as the Virgin’s robes; its front part
is ornamented with two claves—broad vertical gold bands. Those on Justinian’s
chiton are duller than those worn by Constantine. Constantine’s contain red
tessellae, but there are no red tessellae in Justinian’s clothing except in the laces,
heels, and soles of his shoes.
The armlet of the sleeve fits tightly at the wrist. Only one sleeve is seen on
each figure. On the chiton of Constantine the armlets are nearly half covered by
the hanging end of the loros, while the right sleeve of Justinian’s chiton is visible
almost to the elbow.
Over the chiton the Emperors wear the divitission, which is of the same colour
as the chiton. It is shaped like a shortened and wider chiton, with broad sleeves
reaching a little lower than the elbow and with a wide opening at the neck,
as this vestment was put on over the head. The divitission falls well below the
knee. Justinian’s divitission is slightly longer than the one worn by Constantine,
and its sleeve is clearly seen; Constantine’s sleeve is almost entirely covered by
the loros. The material of the divitission like that of the chiton is plain and un-
embroidered. The soft folds at the elbow ofjustinian’s divitission clearly indicate
that it was made of silk. The lower part of the divitission falls straight from
about the knees.
Ravenna, on the Paris medallion and on the coins. We have before us the
imaginary figure of a pious emperor.
The intention of the artist appears to have been to express by means of the
hands of the two Emperors the traditional attitude of prayer and intercession
(see Appendix, 60, 61, 90, 91). The left hand of Constantine and the right one
of Justinian are fully seen. Both Emperors have their other hand almost entirely
hidden by the models of the City and of the Church, and only the bent fingers
up to the second joint are shown. To avoid an arresting symmetry in the two
figures, Justinian’s arm is bent at a sharper angle than the arm of Constantine.
The hands give an impression of a common schematization, yet they differ
intentionally in shape and gesture. Constantine’s hand is more delicate, and
Justinian’s hand is larger and heavier and its fingers are set wider apart. Other-
wise the correspondence in the drawing of the hands—the right hand of
Justinian, the left hand of Constantine—is very close, and as in the hands of the
Virgin, the tendons, rarely indicated in Byzantine painting, are sharply marked,
as in examples at Daphni and St. Sophia of Kiev (see Appendix, 16, 61, 90).
The Emperors are full-robed in a long and rather closely fitting tunic or chiton
reaching almost to the ankles. The wide opening at the top of the divitission,
beneath which the chiton is worn, leaves the neck bare to the clavicle. Only the
lower part of the chiton, where it falls below the upper garment, is visible. The
chiton is blue, of the same shade and weave as the Virgin’s robes; its front part
is ornamented with two claves—broad vertical gold bands. Those on Justinian’s
chiton are duller than those worn by Constantine. Constantine’s contain red
tessellae, but there are no red tessellae in Justinian’s clothing except in the laces,
heels, and soles of his shoes.
The armlet of the sleeve fits tightly at the wrist. Only one sleeve is seen on
each figure. On the chiton of Constantine the armlets are nearly half covered by
the hanging end of the loros, while the right sleeve of Justinian’s chiton is visible
almost to the elbow.
Over the chiton the Emperors wear the divitission, which is of the same colour
as the chiton. It is shaped like a shortened and wider chiton, with broad sleeves
reaching a little lower than the elbow and with a wide opening at the neck,
as this vestment was put on over the head. The divitission falls well below the
knee. Justinian’s divitission is slightly longer than the one worn by Constantine,
and its sleeve is clearly seen; Constantine’s sleeve is almost entirely covered by
the loros. The material of the divitission like that of the chiton is plain and un-
embroidered. The soft folds at the elbow ofjustinian’s divitission clearly indicate
that it was made of silk. The lower part of the divitission falls straight from
about the knees.