While Ravenna’s most ancient remaining monument, the Neonian Baptistery, also kknown as the Orthodox Baptistery, functioned as a social integrator during the Early Christian Period, the monument has served its purpose and continued even after this modern period as the primary goal in its creation was to depict the baptismal of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. The message was successfully conveyed on the monument as the actual scene of Jesus’ baptismal was literally printed in mosaic on the ceiling located at the epicenter of the baptistery’s highest dome which made it as the highlight of the structure.
Based on its historiography, the iconic Baptistery of Neon was originally set to Bishop Ursus’ Cathedral but after the renovation was made by Bishop Neon, the Baptistery was named after him. Thus, Christian Art, specifically the Medieval Art became famous and supported by the public especially of the well-affluent believers though at first it became scandalous and intriguing. Annabel Jane Wharton was successful in her thorough investigation on the Neonian Baptistery to differentiate the past and current meanings of the ritual, function and reconstruction of its architecture.
Her study pointed out many disparities especially in rituals but has still shared with the same principle, which is to make this baptistery a Christian tool or pool for baptismal purposes. In this article, she remained on-focus about her favorite topic –studying the economic, physical and political implication of modern development of Medieval Art, architecture, and its historical context.
R E F E R E N C E Wharton, A. J. (1987). Ritual and Reconstructed Meaning: The Neonian Baptistery in Ravenna. Retrieved February 10, 2009, from the JSTOR Web site: http://www. jstor. org/sici? sici=0004-3079(198709)69%3A3%3C358% 3ARARMTN%3E2. 0. CO%3B2-Y