Analysis of the Byzantine artwork: Moses Speaking to God
The mosaic, Moses Speaking to God, is a work of art created during the period of the Byzantine Empire, which was found in St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The image portrays the prophet Moses, kneeling before a burning bush in a desert near Mt. Sinai, speaking to God, as described in the Biblical story.
The geographic aspects of the mosaic, which illustrates the scene as taking place in a desert, reflects the slightly hilly, barren landscape of the deserts near St. Catherine's Monastery, where the context of the mosaic occurs. In addition, the halo depicted around Moses indicates Byzantine interactions with Eastern civilizations, where the halo originates. The religious allusions conveyed through the mosaic are the most significant aspects of the both the mosaic’s context, and its physical features. The mosaic illustrates Moses perceiving the Law from God, an important Biblical story of Christianity’s origin; thus, it would have been an important story told in Eastern Orthodox liturgy. In addition, the halo around Moses's head highlights his holiness as a Christian prophet; moreover, the halo reminds those practicing in the Christian liturgy of Moses's importance as a religious leader in Christianity. Lastly, the rays of light shining on the prophet Moses as he kneels before the burning bush, highlights the divinity of God. Furthermore, the rays of light act as a symbol of the importance of Moses's communion with God. The achievements of this mosaic are simply in the nature of its Byzantine style. The glowing appearance of the gold tesserae of the background of the mosaic, as well as the flat, dimensionless features of the landscape and figures in the mosaic are clear examples of how the Byzantine art style creates an ethereal aura and divine illusion of the figures and context depicted in its portraiture. The economic significance of the mosaic is also manifested in the gold tesserae. The prominent use of gold in the mosaic discloses the abundance of gold in the Byzantine Empire; further, this conveys that the Byzantine Empire did not only experience economic stability, but it also valued its wealth to be used to glorify its churches- and therefore, God. Finally, Moses’s clothing yields an understanding of his position in Byzantine social classes. The simplicity of his robes, combined with the knowledge of Moses’s status as a prophet, discloses his value of leading a simple life, so that he may devote his energy to serving God.
The geographic aspects of the mosaic, which illustrates the scene as taking place in a desert, reflects the slightly hilly, barren landscape of the deserts near St. Catherine's Monastery, where the context of the mosaic occurs. In addition, the halo depicted around Moses indicates Byzantine interactions with Eastern civilizations, where the halo originates. The religious allusions conveyed through the mosaic are the most significant aspects of the both the mosaic’s context, and its physical features. The mosaic illustrates Moses perceiving the Law from God, an important Biblical story of Christianity’s origin; thus, it would have been an important story told in Eastern Orthodox liturgy. In addition, the halo around Moses's head highlights his holiness as a Christian prophet; moreover, the halo reminds those practicing in the Christian liturgy of Moses's importance as a religious leader in Christianity. Lastly, the rays of light shining on the prophet Moses as he kneels before the burning bush, highlights the divinity of God. Furthermore, the rays of light act as a symbol of the importance of Moses's communion with God. The achievements of this mosaic are simply in the nature of its Byzantine style. The glowing appearance of the gold tesserae of the background of the mosaic, as well as the flat, dimensionless features of the landscape and figures in the mosaic are clear examples of how the Byzantine art style creates an ethereal aura and divine illusion of the figures and context depicted in its portraiture. The economic significance of the mosaic is also manifested in the gold tesserae. The prominent use of gold in the mosaic discloses the abundance of gold in the Byzantine Empire; further, this conveys that the Byzantine Empire did not only experience economic stability, but it also valued its wealth to be used to glorify its churches- and therefore, God. Finally, Moses’s clothing yields an understanding of his position in Byzantine social classes. The simplicity of his robes, combined with the knowledge of Moses’s status as a prophet, discloses his value of leading a simple life, so that he may devote his energy to serving God.