Reproductie van een ontwerp in mozaïek in de apsis van de Sint Pudentiana met Christus en zijn apostelen before 1864

Franz Kellerhoven produced this print of a mosaic design, sometime before his death in 1872. It reproduces the apse mosaic of the Basilica di Santa Pudenziana in Rome, depicting Christ and his apostles. Dating back to the late 4th century, the mosaic reflects the evolving status of Christianity within the Roman Empire. No longer a persecuted sect, Christianity was increasingly embraced by the state, as reflected in its emerging patronage of monumental art and architecture. The choice of mosaic as a medium is itself significant, its glittering surface intended to evoke a sense of divine splendor and transcendence appropriate to its location. The mosaic can be better understood when we look at the broader history of the Basilica di Santa Pudenziana and the socio-political forces that shaped its creation. This would have been helped by examining contemporary accounts, archaeological reports, and historical analyses of early Christian art and architecture. Ultimately, the meaning of the artwork is not fixed but is contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it is viewed.