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THE ECCLESIA THEME IN THE APSIDAL MOSAICS OF ROME AS A REFLECTION OF THE COMMUNICATIVE VISUAL STRATEGIES OF THE PAPAL POWER

A number of researches in recent years have been aimed at revealing the factors that influenced the iconographic program in the apses of the basilicas in Rome as well as at a new, deeper understanding of the semantics of the depicted themes. The paper is focused on the mosaic compositions in Roman apses; it is intended to demonstrate three typical aspects (liturgical, stylistic and political) of the visual papal strategies that are reflected in the encrypted “messages” of the pontiffs in different times. Both iconographic models and inscriptions within the composition – liturgical texts, quotations from scripture – are studied in the connection with the liturgics. In the context of the stylistic analysis, the author considers the pictorial tools used by the Roman artists, thus trying to reveal their appeal to the heritage of the past. A manifestation of such a reference was reflected, particularly, in the widespread adoption of paleochristian models and schemes, which succeeded the reform of the Church, proclaimed by Gregory VII, and also were connected with the concept of Ecclesia primitiva. The political aspect of visual communication is represented in the selection of images of the Roman Church that appeared in the apse. The author seeks to understand the causality associated with the chosen iconographical program and the historical and political situation.