Mosaics of Rome

"Mosaic Art" is an ancient form of art, more than 4500 years old. The actual mosaic art consists of drawing a design using small tesserae or dowels in natural stone, terra cotta or glassy pastry. Modern techniques make it easy to create a Mosaic however the ancient technique was definitely more complicated and the result was more intricate. Initially used by the Greek it was later absorbed by the Romans and diffused all over the Roman empire. Mosaic art became one of the most popular and successful arts and became characteristic of the Roman world. This art later moved to eastern lands, to Bisanzium and the rest of the East Empire. Characteristic sacred images used Byzantine mosaic for more than one thousand years. This kind of mosaic is said to be a perfect union of art and skill, an excellence achieved by suggestive richness and brightness springing out of the small colorful tessera. After the memorable events of the Byzantine period, newer techniques of glass enamel tesserae, with a wider range of colors became popular sending mosaic art into a declined for a long period. These techniques were later used in mosaic art initiating a revival. This new art spread to Popes, Aristocrats, Diplomats, well-to-do classes. For a period, Rome was highly successful in exporting minute mosaics, using subjects from ancient themes.

During the reign of Emperor Constantine, who had legalized the Christian religion, many churches were being built and mosaic became the main form of decoration and ornamentation. Often used to cover vast areas of wall inside these new churches were a form of architectural tapestry. The windows and ventilators used an uneven tesserae of colored glass and gold, brilliantly reflected light to create strong effects and sharp contrasts of color.

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