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Galla Placidia Mausoleum on Flickr - by James Macdonald

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is a highly important Byzantine mausoleum in Ravenna, Italy. It is one of the eight structures in Ravenna that were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1996. As the UNESCO experts reasoned, “it is the earliest and best preserved of all mosaic monuments, and at the same time one of the most artistically perfect”.

mausoleum of Galla Placidia on Flickr - by saintpeg

Mausoleu de Gal·la Placídia, Ravenna on Flickr - by Sebastia Giralt

Built in 425-430 AD, the structure is designed in the shape of a Greek cross, and has a cupola that is entirely in mosaics, representing eight apostles and symbolical figures of doves drinking from a vessel. The other four apostles are represented on the vaults of the transverse arm; over the door is a representation of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, young, beardless, with flowing hair, and surrounded by sheep; opposite, there is a subject that is interpreted as representing Saint Lawrence. Thin, translucent panels of stone admit light into the structure through the windows.

Galla Placidia Mausoleum, Ravenna on Flickr - by breic

galla placidia interior on Flickr - by designucdavis

The building contains three sarcophagi; the largest is said to have been that of Galla Placidia, and that her embalmed body was deposited there in a sitting position, clothed with the imperial mantle; in 1577, however, the contents of the sarcophagus were accidentally burned. The sarcophagus to the right is attributed to Emperor Valentinian III or to Galla Placidia’s brother, Emperor Honorius. The one on the left is attributed to Galla Placidia’s husband, Emperor Constantius III. In fact this building was the oratory of a wider church: the Holy Cross.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Colours on Flickr - by James Macdonald

Mosaic Inside on Flickr - by pietroizzo

The inside is relatively small and extremely simple. The mausoleum was intended from the very start to be covered with mosaics, and these are the oldest in Ravenna. The eye is seduced by the brilliance of the colours, which mask the architecture and create an illusionistic effect.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia - Ravenna, Italy - Great Buildings Online

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia on Flickr - by Rosy Hunt

Mosaics Stars Mausoleo di Galla Placidia Ravenna on Flickr - by blu_blue

Mausoleo di Galla Placidia on Flickr - by Arrigo Ceramista

Mosaic detail on Flickr - by vanalledag

Dettagli sottarco Mausoleo Galla Placidia on Flickr - by Arrigo Ceramista

Mosaic tiles on Flickr - by James Macdonald

Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:

smalti

smalto (pl. smalti) - smalti is characterized by its dazzling range of brilliant opaque colors. Smalti is prepared by adding crystalline material (corpo) and coloured material (anima) to the colourless or coloured fused glass. Smalti is literally available in thousands of colors, is a very stable glass, easy to cut and very durable. m.a.s. mosaic glossary

Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold)

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold) - 24k gold-leaf tesserae are made up of a glass support layer (usually transparent, at times opaque red or coloured) less than one centimetre thick. The 24k gold metal leaf is then sandwiched between the support and a thin protective glass layer (the cartellina). In tesserae the colour shade is determined by the purity of the metal, the thickness of the leaf, the colour, if any, of the cartellina and of the support. m.a.s.mosaic glossary

Nature & Geometry, originally uploaded by pietroizzo.

Casa Grande, originally uploaded by hbomb1947.

Where is the Hearst Castle?

Hearst Castle was the palatial estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. It is located near San Simeon, California, on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California in 1957, it is now a State Historical Monument and a National Historic Landmark, open for public tours. Hearst formally named the estate ‘La Cuesta Encantada’ (’The Enchanted Hill’), but he usually just called it ‘the ranch’.

Hearst Castle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hearst Castle Roman Pool Mosaics on Flickr - by patacancha

The Casa Grande Roman Pool

The pool appears to be styled after an ancient Roman bath such as the Baths of Caracalla in Rome c. 211-17 AD. The mosaic tiled patterns were inspired by mosaics found in the 5th Century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy. They are also representative of traditional marine monster themes that can be found in ancient Roman baths.

The Roman Pool Hearst Castle on Flickr - by eye_fish

The Roman Pool is decorated from ceiling to floor with 1″ square mosaic tiles. These glass tiles, called smalti, are either colored (mainly blue or orange) or are clear with fused gold inside. The intense colors and shimmering gold of the tiles combine to create a breathtaking effect. The designs created by the tiles were developed by muralist Camille Solon.

Hearst pool bottom mosaic detail on Flickr - by vikram_muthanna

Bottom of the indoor pool mosaic detail on Flickr - by SFAntti

Hearst Castle Pool bottom mosaic detail on Flickr - Rock and Racehorses

Hearst Castle Roman Pool mosaics on Flickr - by Sandra Leidholdt

Mosaic wall & floor detail on Flickr - by Stellae et Luna

Mosaic Design Inspiration

The inspiration for some of these designs came from the 5th Century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Hearst was affected by the beauty of the mosaics in the mausoleum and incorporated similar styles into his Roman Pool. The walls of the mausoleum are marble but the vaulted arches are composed of blue and gold smalti. The roofs and dome are covered with mosaics of night blue, powdered with stars. The Roman Pool is similar to the mausoleum with its blue and gold color scheme and stylized star patterns. It differs because marble was only used in the statues, not on the walls, and their are no religious murals.

The Roman Pool at Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle wall mosaic detail on Flickr - by Rock and Racehorses

Hearst Castle Mosaic floor detail on Flickr - by Isalcedo

Mosaic Floor Tile Detail. on Flickr - by blisseau

Roman Crab mosaic floor detail on Flickr - by Stellae et Luna

Mosaic Gold tesserae texture detail on Flickr - by klabhead

Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold)

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold) - 24k gold-leaf tesserae are made up of a glass support layer (usually transparent, at times opaque red or coloured) less than one centimetre thick. The 24k gold metal leaf is then sandwiched between the support and a thin protective glass layer (the cartellina). In tesserae the colour shade is determined by the purity of the metal, the thickness of the leaf, the colour, if any, of the cartellina and of the support. m.a.s.mosaic glossary