Mosaic through the Ages
A journey from pebble pathways to modern mosaic masterpieces!
Mosaic is a form of art which is technically as simple as arranging together little pieces of any hard material or tesserae (like stones, ivory pieces and glass tiles) on a surface to get a bigger design or image. But how did we, humans, go from the primitive arrangement of pebbles to make a simple message or a path to the sophisticated modern expression of mosaic as an art form of the 21st century? The fact is that the first mosaic and the exact era it started in, is untraceable. It might date back to our first ancestor who realized that, when put together; things make a pattern and decided to explore the idea further by embedding hard items in mud and leaving it to set.
Historians have found evidence that mosaics have been a part of our interiors since as far as the third millennium B.C. where things like ivory, shells and semi-precious stones were used to decorate items. The art form has developed through time and adopted distinct patterns originating from specific geographical regions.
Later, during 9th century BC, Greeks began creating mosaics using pebbles. A few hundred years later, around 400 B.C. mosaics got more intricate as new techniques made it easy to cut cube-shaped tesserae from rods of stone. It was the Romans, who took the art form to the next level with their elaborate depictions of scenes, mythology, stories and geometric borders with advanced mosaic techniques. The tesserae and tiles began emerging in more shapes patterns and a wider color variety.
Mosaic was generally predominated in walkways and paths, but some was even done on walls and ceilings. During the Byzantine era, artists began dedicating themselves to wall mosaics, creating glistening works of art in colored glass and gold in the interiors of churches & basilicas! During the 5th century A.D. Christian mosaic was at peak and Ravenna, a province of the modern Italy became the capital of artists preparing extravagant masterpieces portraying religious and historical figures.
During the Renaissance period the popularity of mosaics took a back seat to the fresco paintings but still persisted. Mosaic did make some major come backs. The art form gained importance in Islamic architecture around late 7th century AD with Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem being a prominent exhibit. About a score of centuries later, Persian skillful artists mastered & personalized mosaics, inventing a whole new sophisticated style of mosaic patterns. The art got totally distinct wonderful styles from the Moroccans & the Turkish as well. Many subways in Europe, Hong Kong and the United States, feature mosaic work that was installed a lot of years ago yet remains in a perfect condition.
Today, mosaics are still prevalent as a major art form. Artists all over the globe constantly attempt blending the auras from the past with the taste and trends of the modern times. The art still hasn’t stopped evolving. What makes mosaic so evergreen? How come we still aren’t bored of the same old idea? The answer is simple; with mosaic the possibilities are endless, anyone can come up with a new design, pattern, material or technique every day and still not run out of possibilities. Secondly, mosaics have proven themselves to withstand the harsh conditions and the test of time while still maintaining their original form and glory with little deterioration (as compared to other decorative & architectural methods).
Mosaic is a better substitute to so many interior & exterior design choices of the modern residence and offices. You can beautify your floors, with marble rugs, while at the same time making them easier to clean. Maybe, get durable mosaic murals done on your walls to add a touch of personal style to the room? One can opt for interesting glass mosaic patterns for their pools & spas instead of the plain old ceramic tile option, go for the 2in1 benefits of adorning your kitchens & bathrooms with mosaic tile back splashes or even get a favorite photo turned into mosaic art. Mosaics are easily accessible to almost anyone interested nowadays. The good news is that you don’t have to try and arrange the tiles together yourself or make a mess out of the grout (binding base material). There are plenty of mosaic companies out there that have mastered the art. Those expert mosaicists will make you any imaginable custom mosaic design of your choice!
