From 15 July to 5 September 2025, the Italian Cultural Institute of London will host THE ANCIENT MOSAICS OF RAVENNA – The collection of the copies.
The mosaics in this collection were created in the 1950s with the specific aim of making them travel the world and showing the beauty otherwise kept inside the religious buildings of Ravenna. The initiative was promoted by Giuseppe Bovini, Inspector of the Superintendence of Ravenna, with the contribution of the Chamber of Commerce and the Tourist promotion bodies: the whole city was united in the project.
The creation of the copies was entrusted to the master mosaicists who were already involved in restoration: they are faithful copies of the originals, they too are works of art.
They are copies that allow a close￾up view of the incredible mosaic heritage that, in Ravenna, merges with the architecture and forms a unicum recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Judith Herrin – British archaeologist, honorary citizen of Ravenna, recognised as one of the most respected living scholars of Ravenna’s history and art, author of numerous important works on Byzantine and Early Christian topics, which awarded her many prizes – wrote the foreword to the catalogue. 

On display are 20 of the most significant works:

MAUSOLEUM OF GALLA PLACIDIA

• Drinking doves
• Detail of the vaulted ceiling
• Festoon
• Greek key

NEONIAN BAPTISTERY

• Saint Peter
• Saint Paul

ARIAN BAPTISTERY

• Head of Christ
• Saint John the Baptist

BASILICA OF SANT’APOLLINARE NUOVO

• Madonna
• Port of Classe
• Kiss of Judas

ARCHIEPISCOPAL CHAPEL

• Saint Paul
• Pheasant
• Peacock
• Guinea Fowl
• Heron
• Christ the warrior

BASILICA OF SAN VITALE

• Empress Theodora
• Head of Justinian
• City of Jerusalem