Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice

Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice, begun 1063 and Anastasis (The Harrowing of Hell) mosaic, c. 1180-1200, Middle Byzantine. Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Steven Zucker and Beth Harris.

[@brober]

Remember walking around San Marco at 6am before the tourists hordes invaded.Had the place almost to myself. It glowed. Sublime.

[@RezaChity-G]

Woah!

[@hamzagrant4724]

instaBlaster.

[@mosaicartnow4040]

40,000 square feet of mosaics adorn the ceilings and walls of St. Mark's - not to mention the Cosmati patterns on the floors. Another engaging video from Khan Academy.

[@almeggs3247]

Another beautiful narrative worthy for future generations thanks

[@Sasha0927]

I hope Mark did have that vision because I imagine him being weirded out otherwise. The gold mosaic is just stunning... "It's not a partnership, in other words, it's Christ leading them out." Amen, lol. Such a recurring theme in the New Testament - grace is not earned. I do have to say I love how Jesus is depicted here - the color and detail of his robes, his heroism. It's action Jesus and I can tell by how hyped up Dr. Zucker sounded talking about him. 😂🔥

[@kennethrothman5511]

Great commentary, thank you!

[@Chris-hp9be]

Wow you explained the painting really well 👍🏻👍🏻

[@HandleDeezNutzVoluntarily]

Is this the body of Alexander The Great?

[@deanagalloway4700]

Beautiful

[@HandleDeezNutzVoluntarily]

Is the body of Saint Mark, Alexander The Great?

[@luvmyflowers123]

Beautiful place to visit...

[@sgassocsg]

So, we are in st Marks after my guide cut the line totally and jammed through….get the guides they are worth every penny! She takes us all round and then says look behind you. Our family looks at the strange black line running throughout every wall and corner and pillar in the church, only carefully visible. The black line is at shoulder height consistently, and about half an inch wide. We are intrigued! Every wall has this line, covering the entire interior worship area. What the …….could it be? Centuries of greasy hair pressed against the walls of a packed church, created a stain that is visible today. Maybe these were back benchers waiting for loved ones at communion. Greasy hair of our ancestors worshipping for millennia. I was profoundly moved…God I do love Venice.

[@peroz1000]

Great.Were the mosaics in this church made by Byzantine artists who came to Venice or by local talents?

[@roccosiffra]

The oldest are the work of Byzantine artists and craftsmen. Their techniques were acquired by Venetian artists, who assimilated the decorative style, combining oriental inspiration and western influences.

[@natrone23]

I wonder how many of those objects are directly from Constantinople?

[@smarthistoryvideos]

Great question. We discuss the spoils of the 4th crusade here: smarthistory.khanacademy.org/portraits-of-the-four-tetrarchs.html

[@ririshow]

The only way to grasp the full beauty of this jewel is to attend a sunday celebration at the Basilica. All the lights are then switched on. It is beyond anything one can imagine.

[@kelsey7442]

@adventuresofaplusk this is what you missed out in Venice (I'm newish to your videos and your Italy trip is what I am up to)

[@peroz1000]

By the way, what happened to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople ?

[@brober]

It was demolished by the Ottomans and the mosque and tomb of Mehmet the Conqueror was erected on the site. Much of the marble and columns of the facade of San Marco were plundered from The Church of The Holy Apostles.

[@tobyroyparkerjr.233]

@@brober it was demolished because it was dilapidated and unsafe

[@apolodorojpge4419]

Fucking islam happened. Now there's the suleimaniye mosque uper their ruins

[@juliaagnello1302]

Overturned a mosque...

[@ridgehurley4236]

@@apolodorojpge4419 😭😭😭🤬

[@polydipsiac]

He has such a nice voice...

[@susanpower9265]

wonderful video for st mark day 2022/blessing on every upright wise mark everywhere in the world for today your feast day and blessing on the city alexandria mark original diocese and everyone whose name is alexander

[@interiorpointbd8797]

helpful for me

[@docloftis]

Very interesting....reminds me of how many references to the stealing of Mark's body exist--especially in Italy. But also Mark in general as seen in places like the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. One thinks of Bellini, Tintoretto, etc....one wonders what a single video showing all of these from museums and churches would look like!

[@dlwatib]

If you look carefully you can see seeds of the Gothic style here. Less than 100 years separate this church from the first Gothic church, St Denis Abbey. The attenuation of the figures in the mosaics and the draperies of the clothing are exactly what you would expect to see on a Gothic portal sculpture. The arches and vaults are round on the inside, but on the outside they sometimes form ogee curves that result in pointed tops. The exterior of the domes, if you look closely near the lanterns, do not actually form a sphere but are more pointy like a Gothic dome. The exterior has several pinnacles that just need a little more height to become Gothic towers and spires.

[@marklangley9457]

Well Done!

[@howtubeable]

I appreciate how you described the church without any Marxist deconstruction. That's very rare nowadays.

[@sewerslvtkitten]

This is my favourite church in the world as it has a painting of Jesus holding a mushroom surrounded by other mushrooms pointing to it and himself. However, why is it I can never find a pure HD angle of that picture. Never shows it in any photos that can be seen easily. Its always just cut out of frame or not shown at all whilst every other painting is. Suspicious much? You can see for a split-second at 2:30, he is holding a mushroom pointing to himself whilst surrounded by other mushrooms. Also, some mushrooms shapes in the robes of Jesus, Adam and Eve at 2:47. They talk about how it flows and has a life of its own. I honestly think it was intentional as its not just a random shape. Its very symmetrical and intended to be there as the important figures who have halos have similar shapes in their robes yet normal figures/people don't have these mushrooms shapes in their clothes.

[@Mr2twenty2]

El barto just been tripping balls lately i heard

[@muscledavis5434]

Holy sh you're right! But maybe they're supposed to resemble some kind of trees? With regards to the generally reduced naturalism of the art. And trees would make sense since different trees are part of christian symbolism 🤔

[@Dannysince1985]

Is it not true that most of the artifacts in the basilica especially the 4 bronze horses were stolen from elsewhere?

[@smarthistoryvideos]

learn more here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3mapmagi7ZjsMk

[@deepdivin]

I needed a seal from here too unlock a set of armour. No time to enjoy the artwork though.

[@peynirformaggio6915]

When I saw the thumbnail, I thought it was hagia sofia xD😜

[@ejplair64]

2:29 pause for bread ?

[@sewerslvtkitten]

Its not bread its mushrooms.

[@Thyalwaysseek]

The drapery is symbolic of a wing representing the Messiah in the Athereal form...and the Christ is also within each of us so you are incorrect in saying Mortal Man cannot save himself...nice footage though.

[@LewisGRAHAM]

Great video. Have visited this place and glad to see it spotlighted in

[@howtubeable]

The "Christ Within Us" does not negate the belief that Mortal Man can not save himself. The grace of Christ within us is a free gift from God which can not be earned.

[@Suite_annamite]

The Venetians who smuggled St. Mark's body must've committed that act with a proto-nationalist mindset, thinking that they were simply "repatriating" him back to the Italian peninsula.

[@gunayhuseynova2838]

Not Constantinople, İstanbul🇹🇷❤️

[@smarthistoryvideos]

Though not in the period we are discussing.

[@lavacake3949]

This is a good video but god damn if Satan being depicted as the only non-white person in a mosaic isn't a bit yikes.

[@varana]

While it may seem so for modern viewers who are accustomed to see everything through the lens of race, this is not about human skin colour. Christ is the Light, therefore the adversary, Satan, is dark. It's a theological statement, expressed in visuals.

[@APAL880]

Also, I have been taught that it's Hades personified, not Satan.

[@DeoVindice999]

It's great actually.

[@hoticeparty]

​@@DeoVindice999 lame