postheadericon A Brief History of Mosaic Art



by Leon S. Hooper


Mosaic art has been around for a very long time but its origin and history is not as clear as it could be. It made its initial appearances in random cultures and countries but in terms of its exact origin, it remains unknown. There are widely perceived to having been originated from somewhere within the Orient, however. One of the first pieces of Mosaics art is thought to have come from a civilisation known as the Chaldeans in Mesopotamia. This civilisation goes back as far as 4000BC.

By the time the 8th century BC came around, we saw pebble pavements with stones of varying colours being used to create patterns. The decoration wasn't very structured as this time, however.

The Greeks, in the 4th century BC, used it to make scenes with people and animals out of geometric patterns. With help from the Romans, mosaics were taken to a higher level despite the fact that artistic skill appeared to be on the wane. We began to see works which included religious celebrations and more domestic themes. We mainly saw these works on floors.

The Byzantine Empire and its civilisation were responsible for the next stage of mosaic art in the 5th century AD. The art form underwent some big changes with its styles beginning to be more and more influenced by the East and glass tesserae. It was now to be seen on ceilings and walls. Religion continued to be a theme as did portraits of emperors.

Mosaic art, in its current form, is widely appreciated by art lovers of all countries. It is truly a multi-cultural art with contributions from various countries throughout the ages and brings secrets from our ancestors together with art of the modern world thanks to technically gifted artists. It inspires many and brings a warm feeling to any scene where it is on display.




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