Mosaic, Page 1 of 3

MOSAIC TILE

The world "mosaic" derives from the Greek: "patient work, worthy of the Muses". As a matter of fact, it represents one of the highest expressions of art, and one of the most spontaneous and striking ornamentation techniques dating back to the Hellenistic period and Roman age and handed on to us. It is almost agreed that mosaics have their origin in the Cretan cobblestone flooring which, however, did not represent a plain surface since natural elements were used.

The real mosaic art consists of composing a drawing (or a frieze) on a subject or geometrical drawings using small "tesserae" in natural stone, terra-cotta, or glass. Such handmade tesserae are fixed on cement or mastic layer. The ancient technique was much more complicated than the present one. Pliny (a Roman writer of the first century A.D.) and Vitravius (a Roman architect of the first century B. C.) gave us clear evidence of this procedure: ancient artists created four layers, the "STATUME" a cobblestone agglomerate, the "RUDUS', made up of three cut stone parts and one lime part, the "NUCLEUS', consisting of a pounded earthenware and lime layer and finally a thin plaster layer where the tesserae were fixed .

During the first centuries B.C. the polychrome mosaics had a considerable development. Every high-class house had a least one; it could be an ornamental frieze on wall, a flooring, an inscription on columns or walls to greet the guests etc... . The techniques were different; it depended on the purposes of the work: a floor mosaic, for example, required a different technique from the wall mosaic since one could walk on it. Mosaics with gold tesserae, very appreciated during the Byzantine Age, generally belong to the third century A.D., but recently gold highlighted figures have been discovered in the Neronian DOMUS AUREA in Rome.

The subjects of the mosaics were various: mythological, historical and contemporary to the age of their construction, like, for example: "la corsa di bighe di Piazza Armerina in Sicilia" ("two horsed chariots' race in Piazza Armerina, Sicily").

Ancient mosaics, not sufficiently studied yet, represent a precious source of knowledge, both for the lost painting and for mythology. Even though mosaics are handiworks, they have always reflected the changes in style and the problems of the other arts. It can be said the mosaics are the perfect union of art and craft, a sort of excellence achieved by a mixture of striking richness and brightness originated from those small fragments of color: the tesserae. Every single fragment seems to have its own autonomy and a particular individuality for the irregular way they were fixed.

Exposed to light coming from different directions they produce an incomparable light irradiation and during the whole day they look as if they were that source of irradiation. In fact, after they have absorbed brightness, they convert it into multiple irradiation able to illuminate a dark interior. The "Mausoleum of Galla Placidia", a Byzantine monument situated in Ravenna, dated back to the fifth century A.D., is a marvelous example. The same technique can still be found in the reproductions by the Mosaic School in Ravenna, which tend to imitate the craft of the ancient artisans.

Today mosaics are used as decorative elements in furnishing, where polish and splendor are so skillfully melted that, even though the Byzantine artists have not been surpassed, they are at least excellently imitated.

Nowadays this art-craft is discovering a 'flexibility of use" which mosaics have never had before, thanks to their ability in coupling with wood, metal, marble, ceramics, glass, plaster and stucco. This is to meet the demands of a design asking for creative opportunities which go beyond personal taste and adapt themselves to infinite creative proposals. The production of ancient mosaics using modern techniques, for example, assures perfect decorative effects in a short time and with guaranteed firmness; but this holds good for every kind of mosaic work.

Cosmati Mosaic Panels


Surya Art218/PR-P 150x150cm - 60"x60"	Calliope Art219/PR-P 150x150cm - 60"x60"

Stella Maris (Panel) 60x60cm - 24"x24" (Border) 20x60cm - 8"x24" - (Corner piece) 20x20cm - 8"x8"	Acheo Panel (Panel) 80x80cm - 32"x32" 100x100cm - 40"x40" / 120x120cm - 48"x48"

Custom patterns in any size are available on drawings supplied by the customer.

POMPEII MOSAIC TILE