A Comparitive Review of the Mosaic Justinian and His Attendants

This essay will discuss the works Justinian and his attendants (mosaic, Byzantine Period, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy) and Augustus of Primaporta (marble, Imperial Roman Period, perhaps a copy of an earlier bronze work).

Although both depicting emporers, these pieces differ greatly. First of all, the materials differ. The first piece is a mosaic, which is made by attaching tesserae (small pieces of coloured stone or glass) to a hard stable surface; the latter is a marble sculpture. Justinian and his attendants is an extremely flat piece. There is little to no attempt to create depth, show realism, or depict a background. Conversely, Augustus of Primaporta is extremely three-dimensional: his arm reaches out into the viewer's space and the traditional blocky forms are completely abandoned. Also, the Augustus is an extremely idealized and symbolic piece. He is shown as a youthful hero (although he was much older at the time the piece was commissioned), his feet are bare (a symbol of deification), and his armour reveals his position as head of the army. Cupid is shown on the back of a dolphin, both of which reinforce the royal family's claim to be descendents of Venus.

This sculpture is detailed with careful attention to classical proportions and ideals. Justinian and his attendants are shown in a rather abstract, standardized manner. Justinian wears purple robes (signifying royalty) and carries the bread for the Eucharist (signifying his role as religious leader). Three groups are shown in the mosaic: Justinian and his personal attendants, the Bishop Maxentius and the clergy, and the military. This reveals the union of church and state. Also, the church of San Vitale (where this work is located) was completed less than ten years after being conquered. The building in general, and particularly this mosaic, are intended to reinforce Justinian's power in a newly acquired area.

In this way both works are similar-they are both extremely propagandistic. The Augustus (which is a primary example of the use of art as propaganda) also reasserts the emperor's absolute power. An interesting feature of the Justinian is that it is difficult to distinguish whether Justinian or Bishop Maxentius is leading.