The present church of San Clemente was constructed to replace the Early Christian basilica from the 4th century. It was built by the cardinal and priest of San Clemente, Anastasius, who is documented between 1102 and 1125, and it rises above its predecessors's centre and left side aisles. The structure was completed and consecrated around 1118-19. The mosaic decoration of the apse is generally dated to this time. However, recent studies suggest a a considerably later date in the 1130s.

The mosaic in San Clemente was the first great apse mosaic to have been produced in Rome in roughly two hundred years. It incorporated any number of familiar motifs from Early Christian mosaics, but combined them with distinctly medieval pictorial elements to create a new synthesis.

Preview	Picture Data	File Info	Comment
	Interior view 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	900*1083 True Color 234 Kb
	Overall view of the apse 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	1100*773 True Color 387 Kb
	Overall view of the apse 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	1214*800 True Color 307 Kb
	Overall view of the apse 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	950*647 True Color 242 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	650*822 True Color 198 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	493*1200 True Color 241 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	804*1200 True Color 249 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	900*1142 True Color 335 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	900*1089 True Color 323 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	850*1020 True Color 274 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	800*1081 True Color 324 Kb
	Apsidal arch (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	800*1218 True Color 327 Kb
	Apsidal arch (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	850*1017 True Color 275 Kb
	Apse mosaic (detail) 1130s Mosaic San Clemente, Rome	640*800 True Color 242 Kb