Ravenna: Architecture and Mosaics of San Vitale
Ravenna: Architecture and Mosaics of San Vitale by David Henderson
The tranquil atmosphere of the small Adriatic city of Ravenna as it appears today belies its important role during one of Western history’s principal watersheds: the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. As Christianity spread and Gothic tribes invaded the Italian peninsula, Ravenna flourished for a time as an imperial capital. Its monuments bear witness to that period in which the ancient world was transformed into what would become medieval Europe. The final phase of the city’s role as an outpost of Constantinople’s authority began under the rule of the Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora, resulting in some of its most impressive building projects. San Vitale’s architecture and iconography proclaim the eventual triumph of this regime, speaking eloquently of a new relationship between power and faith. Its innovative design and profusion of lustrous mosaics make it one of the most significant examples of the Byzantine style in Italy.
After initial studies in architecture, David Henderson spent four years at London’s Royal Academy Schools where he was awarded the S.J. Solomon prize for figure painting and was twice selected for the Academy’s annual summer exhibition. Since then, he has held over 30 solo exhibitions in London, Rome, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. His work has been selected for a number of prestigious group exhibitions, including the New English Art Club, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and Tattersall’s Landscape Prize. David has been the recipient of numerous awards including – on two occasions – Best of Show at the Brisbane Rotary art exhibition. In 2021, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Queensland Art Society. David has lectured for the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland University of Technology and the Brisbane Institute of Art. He has accompanied over 50 tours for ASA to Italy, France, the UK and the USA and now spends a part of each year living and working in Italy. David brings a trained artist’s eye to an analysis of painting, sculpture and architecture and takes great pleasure in sharing his knowledge.
David leads the following ASA tours:
- Great Monuments, Art and Gardens of the Côte d’Azur, Provence and the Cévennes 7 – 24 May 2025; 6 – 23 May 2026
- Venice: Jewel of the Adriatic 26 September – 9 October 2025; 25 September – 8 October 2026
- Sicily and the Aeolian Islands 10 – 24 October 2025; 9 – 23 October 2026
- Sicily: A Dimension of the Imagination 10 – 28 April 2026
Image Credit: Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy. ID © Rakonjac Srdjan | Dreamstime.com