San Vitale, Ravenna, Charlemagne and the Carolingian, Romanesque and Gothic Architecture

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Video Reflections
San Vitale, Ravenna
I think my exposure to the history of San Vitale, Ravena has increased my understanding of Roman art. The mosaic of the church both external and internal caught my attention and I could not stop wondering how the artists put enough efforts in this work of art. The exterior of the church has a complex shape with a wide octagonal tower. These are just but a section of the whole tower. In the video, the interior of the church appears spacious with articulated rhythm of arches that form beautiful view to the eye. The arches and domes inside the church make the spacious design inside the church appear endless, even as the walls are decorated with images of Justinian and the true king, Jesus Christ. Another beautiful artistic work is how the hemispheric dome that is supported by eight arches on gigantic fan-shaped pillars. The arches are strategically positioned at the center, opening to a beautiful view of the endless spacious dome. Indeed, the artists put their best in this beautiful piece of art.
Pythagoras and the Hagia Sophia
In this video produced by Ruth Dwiyer, the main theme is about the construction and design of the Hagia Sophia that was built between 532 and 537 A.D. The Hagia Sophia is the tallest sphere to have ever been constructed and it was overseen by Emperor Justinian. The most interesting thing that I watched from this video is how it got its name as the Church of Wisdom. Indeed, I think the building deserves this name due to the details that the designers put in place to come up with a complete structure. The interior of the building was constructed Pythagoras, a philosopher that used the symmetria. This is a term used to define the balance of every element in the design and it is evident that Pythagoras knew what he was doing. Pythagoras used the diamenter of the Money Grams of Justinian as the basic units of the design to complete the interior of the building.
The Book of Kells
The Book of Kells is one of the most precious works of art in Ireland. Dating back to around 800A.D, the book contains illuminated manuscripts written using vellum (skin of calf) because it was considered the most durable material at the time. This book is considered a valuable material for both historians and Christians because it contains the first four books of the New Testament, also called the vulgate. According to the video, the illuminated manuscripts did not a greater purpose apart from just providing a beautiful view of the rich texts in the book. According to the ...