Santa Sabina Art History

#49) Santa Sabina ID ● Rome, Italy ● Late Antique Europe ● C. 422-432 CE ● Brick and stone ● Wooden roof Form ● Basilica ● Massive, spacious longitudinal nave ○ Faces the altar ○ Illuminated by natural light from windows ○ Creates a feeling of transcendence ● Light from the windows was manipulated by the architect to create a spiritual effect ○ Would've illuminated the mosaics on the nave walls (that no longer exist) ○ Light = Christ, heaven ● Imagine the walls glimmering with mosaics ○ Over the columns: wine cups and bread: first symbolization of Eucharist ○ the Church of Santa Sabina has a dominant central axis that leads from the entrance to the apse Function ● Early Christian church ● To respect Sabina, who supposedly died on the location ○ Roman Emperor from the 300s and Christian convert ○ Martyr for Christianity ● To impress the viewer and inspire them to follow Christianity ● Basilicas had various functions in Rome ○ Site for law courts ○ The basis for new churches (in Constantine’s time) Content ● Carved wood doors ○ Restored recently ■ 18 artistic narrative panels not in the correct order after restoration and 10 have been lost ● Portrays the crucifixion, Moses & Burning bush, Exodus, Ascension of Elijah, Ascension of Christ, Christ’s post-resurrection appearances, and the Three miracles of Christ ● Dominant Central Axis ○ Leads from the entrance to the altar (apse) ■ The central area is known as the nave ■ Has side aisles on each side ● Nave ○ Corinthian columns ○ Wooden truss roof ○ Clerestory windows in the nave ■ Provides direct lighting ○ Plain walls ■ Would have originally contained mosaics ● Created a shimmering effect that made the walls look like they were floating ○ Light = symbol of Christ ■ Emphasis on spiritual effect and not a physical effect ■ No classical columns or traditional entablatures ■ Contrast to classic buildings because they would have included horizontals of entablatures & columns ● Columns helped to visualize the weight of the building ● Outside ○ Plain, brick wall ● Inside ○ 24 fluted marble columns ■ Support round arches ■ Reused from the temple of Juno ○ Area between the arches are marble veneers portraying chalices and paten (bread plates) Context ● Late Antique Europe, 422-432 CE ● Saint Sabina was stoned to death for converting to christianity at the site ● The building was originally a classical Roman administrative building ○ Ordered interior served to manage large numbers of visitors and to impose the government's authority ○ Thick columns and classical decor create structural stability ● Someone was quoted saying this after entering the basilica ○ "The decorations are too marvelous for words. All you can see is gold, jewels and silk” This shows that the interior was an absolute wonder and the really expensive materials give light to roman life during the time period ■ Must have been a time of prosperity because how else would they get very expensive gold and jewels from Africa, and silk halfway across the world in Asia ● Constantinian architects were the first Roman Christians; they chose the ancient Roman basilica to serve as the basis of their new churches ○ Spolia: recycling old buildings or architectural materials for another purpose ○ The architects reinvented a formerly governmental space into a religious one ■ Manipulated the light from the windows so that the space became well-lit ■ Added mosaics on the walls