Transfiguration Scene 549

This mosaic of the Transfiguration Scene was created by Byzantine artists in the Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna. Look at how the space is organized in this depiction. A large blue circle dominates the center, filled with stars and the figure of a jeweled cross. Above, the glittering gold ground suggests a celestial realm, where the figures of Moses and Elijah float on either side. The composition uses space to create a sense of the divine intersecting with the earthly. The cross, as the central element, acts as a pivotal point between these realms. The arrangement destabilizes traditional perspective, creating a symbolic rather than realistic space. The semiotic structure here uses familiar Christian symbols to deliver theological messages. Consider the overall effect of the mosaic, how its formal qualities invite contemplation on the relationship between the divine and human experiences. Its mosaic tesserae invite us to consider the interplay between materiality and the sacred.