Identifier: architectureinit00catt (find matches)
Title: Architecture in Italy, from the sixth to the eleventh century; historical and critical researches
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Cattaneo, Raffaele, 1861-1889
Subjects: Architecture Architecture
Publisher: London : Unwin
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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hey had wished to utilisetwo short columns of very precious green porphyry, they putunder them two cubic socles which recall in their whole formthat of the two large lower columns. Tbeir faces are adornedby crosses among roses and between the Alpha and Omega, andtheir sides by a vase with leafage and doves : reproductionsafter the Greek style, like those of the sixth century, to be seenin the churches of Ravenna. Finally, the two capitals of thesecolumns are not antique Corinthians like the others, butwere evidently made for the basilica in a style of sculptureentirely Byzantine, like many of Eavenna, of Parenzo, andof Venice. We do not know if all the A^alls of the basilica were coveredwith mosaic by Pelagio II. Certainly the destroyed apsis was,and the frontal arch that is still preserved, though partlyspoiled by restorations. Among the various figures of saints,that Pope is also portrayed with the model of the church inhis hands ; and that he was thus rejDresented is a sign that 53
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^R^ lie had made such reforms and innovations in the basilicathat he might almost be considered as its second founder.The plan of the old church of S. Laurence is develojied inanother basilica of the same city—S. Agnes-beyond-the-Walls.The basilica of S. Agnes, which so much resembles tliat of S.Laurence, had a history almost parallel with it. It also waserected out of the city, and on the level of the catacombs. It seems to rise fromthe bowels of theearth, and to get toit it is necessary todescend many stairs.Like S. Laurence,it was built in thetime of Constantine;and, therefore, prob-ably was similarlyconstructed; but itis certain that, inthe beginning of theseventh century, itwas already sospoiled by age thatHonorious I. (626-640), as soon as heassumed the Pontifi-cate, had to thinkof reconstructing it.The restorationsthat it suffered since then do not seem to have removedfrom it the impression received in the seventh century. Itis composed of three longitudinal and one transvers

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