Byzantine art is some of the earliest Christian art. It is characterized, among other things, for its wall mosaics. Although mosaics were not new, having existed as early as the Sumerians, their application to Christian themes and for the adornment of Christian places of worship was new.





The mosaics inside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul are among the most famous in the world. They must have been utterly dazzling to see in the early days of Christian worship in Constantinople. I love the delicate depiction of the face of Jesus and the lovely golden folds of his robe.
Each of the pendentives has an angel on it. Some are seraphim and some are archangels. I didn’t get particularly good photos of them so it’s difficult to see how glorious they are.






The mosaics in Hagia Sophia are truly inspirational and make one ponder the glorious things that can be achieved by man. When things seem bleak, I like to think about and celebrate this type of beauty in art.
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