You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'mosaic borders' category.
mosaic stool on The Green, originally uploaded by little shiva.
Mosaic bench, Is it a pillow? on Flickr - by moxythecat
Multi colored mosaic seat by moxythecat
Yellow mosaic Bench on Flickr - by moxythecat
Black and White mosaic seat on Flickr - by moxythecat
Blue mosaic seat on Flickr - by moxythecat
The Green is a little park between Tryon and College down around first or second street in Uptown Charlotte. There are many little bits of public art in this little park including these five little mosaic benches or stools.
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.
Basílica de Carranque 2, originally uploaded by stavlokratz.
Where is Carranque?
Carranque is a town in the Toledo province, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It is located in the Alta Sagra area of the province bordering the province of Madrid.
Carranque contains a Roman site protected as an archeological park by the Castile-La Mancha government. It is located by river Guadarrama, near a Roman road. It seems to be near the lost city of Titultiam. There are three main buildings, the ruins of a Roman mill and a modern interpretation building. The buildings date from the late 4th century and are thought to be related to the Hispania-born emperor Theodosius I.
carranque mosaico on Flickr - by themy2004
In 1983 a local peasant, Samuel López Iglesias, found a series of mosaics while plowing in the fields known as las Suertes de Abajo. These mosaics belong to the so-named Villa of Maternus. The interpretation facility exhibits objects found during the excavations. Carranque - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Océano on Flickr - by stavlokratz
In the Dining Hall a tilted floor formed a semicircular fountain with a mosaic of the god Oceanus, featuring crab antennas, claws and a wavy beard.
In the Greek and Roman world-view, Oceanus (Greek Ὠκεανός, Okeanos), was the world-ocean, which they believed to be an enormous river encircling the world. Strictly speaking, Okeanos was the ocean-stream at the Equator in which floated the habitable hemisphere (oikoumene).[1] In Greek mythology, this world-ocean was personified as a Titan, a son of Uranus and Gaia. In Hellenistic and Roman mosaics, this Titan was often depicted as having the upper body of a muscular man with a long beard and horns, and the lower torso of a serpent (cf. Typhon). On a fragmentary archaic vessel (British Museum 1971.11-1.1) of ca 580 BCE, among the gods arriving at the wedding of Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis, is a fish-tailed Oceanus, with a fish in one hand and a serpent in the other, gifts of bounty and prophecy. In Roman mosaics he might carry a steering-oar and cradle a ship. Oceanus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Briseis and Achilles mosaic- Wikipedia
The Ulysses giving Briseis back to Achilles mosaic above was also found in the dining room & depicts the return of the slave Briseis to Achilles as narrated in the Iliad.
What Iliad?
The Iliad (Ancient Greek Ἰλιάς, Ilias) is, together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer, a supposedly blind Ionian poet. The epics are considered by most modern scholars to be the oldest literature in the Greek language (though some believe that the works of the poet Hesiod were composed earlier, a belief that was also held by some classical Greeks).
Aquiles from Ulysses giving Briseis back to Achilles on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The first word of the Iliad is μῆνιν (mēnin), “rage” or “wrath”. This word announces the major theme of the Iliad: the wrath of Achilles.
Briseida from Ulysses giving Briseis back to Achilles on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
When Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek forces at Troy, dishonors Achilles by taking Briseis, a slave woman given to Achilles as a prize of war, Achilles becomes enraged, and withdraws from the fighting. Without Achilles’ prowess in battle, the Greeks are nearly defeated by the Trojans. Achilles re-enters the fighting when his dearest friend Patroclus is killed by the Trojan prince Hector. Achilles slaughters many Trojans, and kills Hector. In his rage he then refuses to return Hector’s body and instead defiles it. Priam, the father of Hector, ransoms his son’s body, and the Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector.
Of the many themes in the Iliad, perhaps the most important is the idea of moral choice. Achilles believes he has two options: he can either live a long, unremarkable life at home or else he can die young and gloriously as a mercenary warrior. Military adventuring (that is, pillage and plunder) was a way of life in pre-Homeric times, and the many ruins of thick-walled cities and fortresses in the region give silent testimony to the fear that must have characterized life in the ancient world.
For some men, military adventuring is a more attractive choice than staying home on the farm. Death in battle leads to honor and glory—timae and kleos—which were important values of the day — more important than even right and wrong. One of the remarkable things about the Iliad is the way that Achilles, especially in Book 9, both embraces concepts of honor and glory and also rejects them. It should be noted that, despite the fact that he is the antagonist in the story, Hector probably best displays the qualities of an ancient Mediterranean hero. Many Greek myths exist in multiple versions, so Homer had some freedom to choose among them to suit his story. Iliad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
mosaico on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
mosaico on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
La Pompeya del Este, Jerash, Jordan on Flickr - by kissss
Where is Jerash?
Located some 48 km (30 miles) north of the capital Amman, Jerash is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. It is sometimes misleadingly referred to as the “Pompeii of the Middle East”, referring to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation (though Jerash was never buried by a volcano).
Jerash became an urban center during the 3rd century BC and a member of the federation of Greek cities known as the Decapolis (”ten cities” in Greek). Jerash prospered during the 1st century BC as a result of its position on the incense and spice trade route from the Arabian Peninsula to Syria and the Mediterranean region. Jerash was a favorite city of the Roman emporer, Hadrian, and reached its zenith in AD 130, flourishing economically and socially. The city began to decline in the 3rd century, later becoming a Christian city under the rule of the Byzantine empire. The Muslims took over in AD 635, but the final blow to the city was dealt by Baldwin II of Jerusalem in AD 1112 during the Crusades.
Modern Jerash sprawls to the east of the ruins, sharing the same city wall but little else. Thankfully, the ruins have been carefully preserved and spared from encroachment.
Jerash travel guide - Wikitravel
Liz photographs the mosaics in Jerash on Flickr - by charlietyack
How old are the Mosaics of Jerash?
From AD 350, a large Christian community lived in Jerash, and between AD 400-600, more than thirteen churches were built, many with superb mosaic floors. A cathedral was built in the fourth century A.D. An ancient synagogue with detailed mosaics, including the story of Noah, was found beneath a church.
Jerash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jerash Mosaic Ruins on Flickr - Liz Bartlett
Mosaic in Jerash on Flickr - by charlietyack
Ayasofya / Sainte Sophie / Haghia Sophia on Flickr - by pictalogue
What is the Hagia Sophia?
Hagia Sophia, (the Church of) Holy Wisdom, now known as the Ayasofya Museum, is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted to a mosque in 1453 by the Turks, and converted into a museum in 1935. It is located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is traditionally considered one of the great buildings in history. Its conquest by the Ottomans at the fall of Constantinople is considered one of the great tragedies of Christianity by the Greek Orthodox faithful.
The name comes from the Greek name Ἁγία Σοφία, a contraction of Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, meaning “Church of the Holy Wisdom of God”. It is also known as Sancta Sophia in Latin and Ayasofya in Turkish. Although it is sometimes called “Saint Sophia” in English, it is not named after a saint named Sophia — the Greek word sofia means “wisdom.”
Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
curving, swirling Hagia Sophia Architecture - shapeshift
Hagia Sophia is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 meters (102 feet) and 56 meters high, slightly smaller than the Pantheon’s. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light.
The dome is carried on pendentives — four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. At Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches.
At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semidomed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements builds up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity. All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. On the exterior, simple stuccoed walls reveal the clarity of massed vaults and domes.
Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sunlight dapples the Hagia Sofia on Flickr - by Al ajanabi
Nothing remains of the first church that was built on the same site during the 4th century. Following the destruction of the first church, a second was built by Constantius II, the son of Constantine I, but was burned down during the Nika riots of 532. The building was rebuilt under the personal supervision of Emperor Justinian I and rededicated on December 27, 537. After the great earthquake in 989, which ruined the dome of St Sophia, the Byzantine government sent for the Armenian architect Tirdat, creator of the great churches of Ani and Agine, to repair the dome.[1] Justinian chose Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, a physicist and a mathematician, as architects; Anthemius, however, died within the first year. The construction is described in Procopius’ On Buildings (De Aedificiis). The Byzantine poet Paulus the Silentiary composed an extant poetic ekphrasis, probably for the rededication of 563, which followed the collapse of the main dome.
Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed “Solomon, I have surpassed thee!” (Νενίκηκά σε Σολομών). Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time, and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1,000 years up until the completion of the cathedral in Seville.
Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Inside Hagia Sofia on Flickr - Libby and Danny Santella
Ayasofya / Hagia Sofia on Flickr - by sixth land
I think this is an accurate image of the interior of Hagia Sofia. It captures the gloomy darkness of the enormous space. This is an interior view from the gallery, which is really wide (huge) and goes all the way round the building. You reach it by an enormous stone ramp made of large uneven boulders, rather than steps. This astonishing Byzantine building blows my mind. It is genuinely one of the wonders of the world. Following the destruction of the two previous churches on the site, the building that you see now was rebuilt under the personal supervision of emperor Justinian I and rededicated on December 27, 537ad. That makes it 1500 years old! It was the largest cathedral ever built for over 1,000 years and today is still the fourth largest cathedral in the world.
Inside Aya Sofya on Flickr - by krensucht
Why were Hagia Sophia’s mosaics covered?
Because Islam tends away from representational imagery, many mosaics were destroyed and others were covered with plaster.
Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
047 - Hagia Sofia uncovered mosaic on Flickr - by Metatron
plaster & mosaic detail on Flickr - by kenzilicious
049 - Hagia Sofia uncovered mosaic on Flickr - by Metatron
Why aren’t all the mosaics uncovered?
Restoration work in the 20th century was begun in 1932 by the American Byzantine Institute, during which most of the figures were uncovered. Due to its long history as both a church and a mosque, a particular challenge arises in the restoration process.
plaster detail on Flickr - by howtorowacat
The Christian iconographic mosaics are being gradually uncovered. However, in order to do so, important, historic Islamic art would have to be destroyed. Restorers have attempted to maintain a balance between both Christian and Islamic cultures.
Mosaic column detail on Flickr - by SUE&XU
Is there a Mosaic under the Dome’s Calligraphy?
In particular, much controversy rests upon whether the Islamic calligraphy on the dome of the cathedral should be removed, in order to permit the underlying Pantocrator mosaic of Christ as Master of the World, to be exhibited (assuming the mosaic still exists).
Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Is the Pantocrator Mosaic of Christ under there? - by guranf
Mosaic detail on Flickr - by Mistress B
mosaic detail on Flickr - by feuillu
Mosaic detail on Flickr - by Mistress B
Elevator Area, originally uploaded by iLoveButter.
The elevator area of the hotel was very grand. The building is an old historic landmark, said to be the first sky scraper. Hotel Burnham, Chicago
Mosaic Floor detail Hotel Burnham, Chicago on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Mosaic Floor detail Hotel Bunham, Chicago on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Volubilis overview on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Those Romans sure got far. Here was a whole city of ruins, complete with sewage systems, impressive floor mosaics (guarded by no more than a simple chain) and what city is complete without a brothel.
Volubilis must have been an awesome bustling city in the first centuries AD. Citizens of Volubilis were exempt of Roman taxes, because they lived so far away. Must have been paradise!
House of Orpheus, Volubilis on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Marble mosaic floor ‘House of Orpheus’, Volubilis.
SANY0806 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
‘House of Orpheus’ marble mosaic floor detail, Volubilis
DSC01819Volubilis on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
‘The Exploits of Hercules’ marble mosaic floor, Volubilis
CIMG0444 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
‘Aphrodite taking a Bath’ marble mosaic floor, Volubilis
CIMG0421 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Bacchus checks out hot babe., originally uploaded by snarl.
a mosaic on the floor of the ‘Knight’s house’ in Volubilis, near Meknes, Morocco. Bacchus finds Ariadne asleep, Theseus having wandered off somewhere. The winged Eros makes a suggestion. Mosaic is about six feet across.
saucy on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Detail of a mosaic on the floor of the ‘Knight’s house’ in Volubilis, near Meknes, Morocco: Bacchus’ standing behind Ariadne’s bare leg. they went on to have six children together.
Hercules with pet Cerberus on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
in the floor of the ‘Labours of Hercules house’ in Volubilis, near Meknes, Morocco. mosaic is about two feet across.
hercules and the Cretan bull on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
in the floor of the ‘Labours of Hercules house’ in Volubilis, near Meknes, Morocco. mosaic is about two feet across, special appearance by dead lion.
4 Photos above taken in the middle of a torrential rain that cleared the ruins of other tourists, and washed all the dust off the mosaics so i could get a decent picture. not long after taking this picture, I shared shelter in an upturned bin with one of the site’s guardians, who walk around with whistles to warm people not to knock stuff over or walk on the walls.
Mosaic at Volubilis on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Roman mosaic on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Detail of a single mosaic on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Volubilis (Arabic: وليلي Oualili) is an archaeological site in Morocco situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat. The nearest town is Moulay Idriss. Volubilis features the best preserved excavations in this part of northern Africa dating from the Roman Empire. In 1997 the site was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
In antiquity, Volubilis was an important Roman town situated on the westernmost border of Roman conquests. It was built about 40 C.E., probably on the site of a previous Carthaginian settlement from the 3rd century B.C.E. Volubilis takes its name from the Berber name Alili meaning Oleander flower, which is common in the area.
Volubilis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mosaic Art Source - Mosaic Floor Images Archive
Pella, originally uploaded by KCA.
Mosaic flooring from the archaelogical site we bribed our way into. This was the birthplace of Alexander the Great in 356 BC. (Probably boring to most, but to history nerds like me, this is gold.) From Pella, in the Macedonia region of Greece.
Mosaic Art Source - pebble mosaic images archive
Pella Mosaic, originally uploaded by Matthew Whitaker.
Pella Mosaics - “The most important group of mosaics in Macedonia was found at Pella, capital of the kingdom from the beginning of the 4th century BC. The mosaics date to the end of the 4th century BC, and were found mainly in two houses of the city, the “House of Dionysos” and the “House of the Abduction of Helen” where they adorned the floors of the formal rooms.
Their depictions belong to two categories: those with simply a geometric decoration covering the entire surface of the floor, and those with representative subjects, such as hunts, Amazonomachy (battle of Amazons) and others.
The efforts to indicate volume by the use of shading is noteworthy. The color scale is limited, with most figures being in pale shades against a neutral background. In some cases there is an attempt to suggest the natural space in which the figures move. One mosaic floor bears the artist’s signature: “Gnosis epoesen” (Gnosis made this).Novel elements are evident in the technique for laying these floors: for the first time use is made of the size of the pebbles and new materials are also used, such as semi-precious stones or glass tesserae for the detail. Strips of lead and bands of baked clay emphasize the outlines.
Mosaic Art Source - pebble mosaic images archive
Pella Mosaic, originally uploaded by Matthew Whitaker.
Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:
“hunting a lion” - opus lapilla - mosaic detail
opus lapilli - mosaic consisting of small pebbles of many natural colors, one of the first types of paving. ex. Hunting a lion – pebble floor, 4th century BC, Pella (Macedonia) Pella Museum
Mosaic Art Source - pebble mosaic images archive
Pella Mosaic, originally uploaded by Matthew Whitaker.
Mosaic Art Source - pebble mosaic images archive
Mosaic in National Musuem, Rome, originally uploaded by colluctor.
Minton Opus Sectile floor mosaic, originally uploaded by fotofacade.
Bury Parish Church. Andy Marshall www.fotofacade.com
for more info
Minton Opus Sectile floor mosaic, originally uploaded by fotofacade.
Bury Parish Church. Andy Marshall www.fotofacade.com
for more info
Opus Sectile Mosaic Floor Bury Parish Church UK, originally uploaded by fotofacade.
Images from the sumptuous Victorian Gothic interior of Bury Parish Church taken by Andy Marshall http://www.fotofacade.com/
“Wow this was a difficult job to take - what with several light sources, tungsten lighting and the clerestory windows covered with a yellow film. It meant I had to use a little flash to remove as much shadow from the tripod legs as possible. The site is Bury Parish Church UK. You may have seem some of my other Tabblo’s of the church interior. The floor is apparently by Minton - but there is some debate about this.” excerpt from http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/shared/7481/4hls1ty6j9kz30u (image link)
“Saint Mary’s church has a remarkable interior. Walk into the nave and allow your eyes to be led by the sumptuous Minton mosaic floor towards the alter where a visual treat awaits you in the gilded oak reredos using evocative themes such as the adoration of the Magi to fill your senses….. and here it is.”
Andy Marshall is an architectural photographer from the UK with a background in building conservation and the historic environment
Mosaic Definition:
opus sectile - the tesserae are of various sizes but cut very carefully to form exact shapes, the shapes then fit together like a puzzle. Similiar to marble marquetry. ex. tiger assaulting a calf - coloured marbles - second quarter of 4th century AD Rome, Esquiline - Basilica Iunii Bassi Mosaic Glossary
pavement, originally uploaded by txmx .2.
mosaic pebble border, spain
Mosaic Art Source - pebble mosaic images archive
More cool mosaic, originally uploaded by darkart.
IMG_1168.JPG, originally uploaded by Adam Franco.
Mosaic floor, originally uploaded by A.M. Kuchling.
This house was off-limits to entry, but we could take pictures through the door. Notice the uneven, corrugated appearance of the atrium after the entry hall; the ground shifted at the time of the eruption. This is more apparent in the next picture. Also, note the swastika in the middle row of the patterns in the entryway; it was a good luck charm.
Estúdio de mosaicos, São Paulo, originally uploaded by Mantelli.
Estúdio de mosaicos, São Paulo, originally uploaded by Mantelli.
foto 1, originally uploaded by madridmatilde.
a great example of the indirect method
Massada, originally uploaded by .: Mr. Ed :..
Mosaico, originally uploaded by Carlos el hormigo.
La Casa de los Pájaros de Itálica, spain - thanks for clearing that up Carlos, geography is definitely not my forte! ;o)
Mikrà Mitropolis, originally uploaded by Rosanna Morselli.
Pavimentazione a mosaico davanti alla chiesa
Greece
Chiostro (detail), originally uploaded by Daniele Muscetta.
Chiostro della Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura (particolare).
dionysus, pafos, originally uploaded by Liz G.
great photo Liz, happy to find another mosaic enthusiast, enjoy!
Pannello ad Intarsio di Paste Vitree con Racemi e Grifone, originally uploaded by unite.