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Mosaico Magnifico!



Photo Credit: Dave Kellam - Flickr
What Makes THIS European Country’s Mosaics So Special?


What do pizza, Nutella, a dozen top fashion brands, and mosaics have in common? Well, Italians of course. Italy is to these things as Switzerland is to watches, chocolates and banks, not only an expert but a quality benchmark and a standard. Mosaic refers to a collage picture, design or pattern formed by placing small colored pieces of hard material, such as pebble, glass, or tiles together. You think of mosaic and Italy pops into your mind. We almost can’t talk about this art, without the mention of contribution and masterpieces of Romans & Italians, because they are the royalty in the world of mosaics.

The relationship is not recent; it goes back as far as the fourth century AD when the Romans adapted the Greeks’ technique for copying paintings into mosaics and used it to make large mosaics to enrich the floors of villas and dwellings. With the building of basilicas, mosaic art was used for Christian art to cover the walls and ceilings of those structures. The art form began evolving into something more prestigious as the tesserae, colors and techniques were further refined. Ravenna and Milan became the center of Roman mosaic art in the following century. Large quantities of gold-leaf tesserae dating back to this period were also uncovered later. The best mosaic masterpieces from that era feature bright colors and naturalism in style. From 7th to 9th centuries, a Byzantine influence was evident in Roman mosaic art. Fast-forwarding into the 13th century, Rome developed its own unique mosaic style, abandoning the eastern tradition and creating more realistic depiction of figures. Sicily & Venice continued making mosaics with Eastern influence throughout the middle ages.

The art form had its ups & downs through the history, like the decline in preference for mosaics during the Renaissance period. However, Italy remains till today, one of the top producers or high-quality mosaic work. Their rich history and experience combined with the excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail makes them the Kings of Mosaic in the modern world.

The chief distinction and superiority of Italian mosaic is its quality. Mosaic artists and mosaic tile producers in Italy consistently create very high quality products, compared to mosaic tiles of lesser aesthetic and technical qualities produced in other regions of the world. Raw materials are cautiously checked and inspected before further treatment, with only the best stones, glass and ceramics being approved. The quality check doesn’t stop here; the Italian mosaic producers ensure quality inspection on every stage of the process till the final product is completely refined. Italian mosaic manufacturers also tend to use high quality dyes and chemicals in their artificially-made mosaic tiles, like glass mosaic and agglomerated marble mosaic tiles, creating consistent & durable mosaics. Italian mosaics are the benchmark standard that mosaic producers from around the globe are still aspiring and dreaming to achieve. Having the guarantee of the getting the quality associated with “Made in Italy” products, it’s no wonder that most architects and interior designers are willing to pay a premium for Italian mosaics. This further encourages and helps sustain the high standards at the mosaic facilities of Italy.           

MEC Artworks, an international mosaic company, knows how to bring that Italian excellence, in terms of style and quality, to their customers. Their tesserae and raw materials are primarily sourced from the best European mosaic marble & glass producers. Furthermore, all the artisans at MEC at especially trained by Italian professionals and the company makes sure to arrange frequent seminars, lectures and workshops (featuring global mosaic experts) to stay abreast of the latest trends and development in the world of mosaic.   



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