Mosaic (art)

See also: Mosaic

The mosaic (of the old Greek μουσεῖον/ mouseion by the Latin musiuum opus , “polished stone equipment which belongs to the Muses”) is a decorative art where one uses fragments of stone, enamel, Verre or of Céramique, assembled using Mastic or of coating, to form reasons or figures. Whatever the material used, these fragments are called tesselles .

The mosaic was used much during the Antiquité for the interior decoration of the houses and the temples. It is in particular associated with the Roman sites preserved well such as Pompéi or Herculanum. However, the mosaic continued to be used throughout the Moyen-âge, in particular at the Byzantine , continuators of the Romans (Basilique San Vitale of Ravenne), and of the Renaissance. Thus, number of pictorial representations decorating the walls of the Basilique Saint-Pierre are carried out according to this technique.

Several processes coexist. More known, the Opus tesselatum , employs like tesselles abacules , i.e. small stone cubes, stuck either directly on surface to pave, or on an intermediate coating. There exists also the Opus sectile , which uses fragments of unequal sizes of stone, Marbre or even of coloured glass ( crustæ ).

Old process, the mosaic is still used nowadays for the decoration of the churches. Thus, the ceiling of the Abside of the Basilique of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre is decorated with the largest mosaic of the world, covering a surface of 475 m ². Conceived by Luc-Olivier Merson and carried out 1900 with 1922 by the workshops Guilbert-Martin, it represents the Sacré-coeur of Jesus glorifié by the Catholic church and the France. Between 1933 and 1941, the painter Henri Pinta carries out a large mosaic of 120 m ², decorating the chorus with the Basilique of the Sacred Heart of Marseilles.

One distinguishes three principal types from mosaics:

  • the Mosaic Roman, made stone and of marble
  • Venetian mosaic: enamels and molten glasses
  • the mosaic florentine: extremely overlapping semi-precious stones ones with the others

The tesselles ones

One distinguishes several types of materials, which allow different effects and have each one their advantages.
  • rollers
  • molten glass: effect of transparency, bright colors
  • sandstone squares: cut easy and resistant to the great cold
  • glazed ceramic: great color range, but bad conservation
  • marble: many colors, great resistance, but it is a very heavy material
  • gold and the money: one inserts a money or gold sheet in tesselle out of glass; the sheet is thus protected and gives an effect of brightness

In Byzance, one uses enamels of glass for the mural decorations. The intensity of the colors is remarkable but this material is expensive and proves very fragile.

Supports

The support more the current is the mortar (sand and cement) because of its low costs and its adaptation to various environments. One poses on the wall a netting, then a mortar bed of at least 13mm thickness, which protects the mosaic from the cracks.

One can also find other supports as wood (one makes it damp-proof thanks to a chemical treatment, or while plunging it in ebullient oil), glass, the fibers of wood in a hurry and stuck (contemporary time), or plywood (contemporary time).

Adhesives

They are multiple. The most used is undoubtedly the mortar: applicable on all surfaces, one can add lime to him to slow down the time of catch. One also uses adhesives containing cement, which are designed according to the support, with various times of catch. The use of the two types of paste (normal and water-soluble) is also frequent. Lastly, at the time contemporary, one notes the use of adhesive silicone.

Methods of implementation

  • direct method: it is simplest and fastest of the three methods. After having carried out a drawing the charcoal on the support, one applies a not very thick layer of adhesive to the zones to be worked. One lays out initially tesselles the largest, then one inserts smallest; this provision is made outside towards the interior. Then one applies a layer of cement (to make the joints between the tesselles ones) which one cleans after drying.
  • indirect method: one sticks the tesselles ones to back on a provisional support, to obtain a plane surface. Then one sticks the whole on the final support, and one removes the provisional bottom. The provisional support recommended in the books of initiation to the mosaic is very often the kraft paper. However, this type of paper is sometimes sensitive to the water-soluble adhesive and gondole. The tesselles ones being on the bumps thus will be found in the hollows when one turns over and sticks the unit on the final support. The nontight polyester veil, being completely insensitive with the water-soluble adhesive, makes it possible to obtain results close to flatness. Moreover, its separation is facilitated by the fact that the water contained in the joint or cement sticks softening the water-soluble adhesive distributed on the veil.
  • double method: it is a combination of the methods direct and indirect.

Software of construction of mosaics

There exists from now on a software Mosaique Deluxe to build mosaics. This software prints the mating plane of the squares, which makes it possible to guide the manufacture of the mosaic.

Famous mosaics

There are two capitals of the mosaic in the world (exposures, restoration, teaching):

  • In France

    • Mosaic Romans
      • mosaic of Lillebonne, representing a scene of hunting, preserved at the Museum of Antiquities of Rouen.
      • mosaic of the Roman villa of Séviac in the Gers (Ier in IIIer centuries a. J. - C.). 450 m ² of mosaics.
      • with the Museum of the Graeco-Roman civilization (Lyon), mosaics of big size, of which a race of tanks around filled up water basins
      • to the Gallo-Roman Museum and archeological site (Saint-Romain as a Gall), mosaic of Lycurgue.
      • mosaic of the Gallo-Roman villa of Loupian (Herault), between Iº front S.J. - C. in Vº S. a. J. - C. Together of 500 m ² of mosaics restored and preserved in situ.
    • Mosaïque Byzantine and medieval
      • the mosaic of the Monastère of Ganagobie is one of most remarkable. Of a surface of almost 80m2, it is made up of sandstone, limestone and marble. These reasons represent fabulous creatures and animals, knights, Saint-Georges embanking the dragon.
      • with Germigny-of-Meadows, single mosaic of time and invoice Byzantines existing in France, representing the Ark of the Covenant between two angels.
      • pavement of the chorus of abbey the the Saint-Benoit-on-Loire.
    • Mosaic modern

  • In the United States

    • Mosaïques art déco
      • the entry of the hotel Waldorf Astoria includes/understands the mosaic of 150.000 tesselles “the wheel of the life” created in 1931 by the French artist Louis Rigal.
      • Within the framework of the initiative Arts for Transit the subway stations of New York are furnished with mosaics art déco.

  • In Cyprus

    • Mosaic mosaic Romans
      • of Dionysos with Paphos.
    • Mosaic Byzantine
      • church of Kiti close to Larnaka (Virgin between two angels, one of the rare Christian mosaics pre-iconoclast remaining in the East).
    • Mosaic modern
      • Monastery of Kikkos

  • In Greece

    • Mosaic Byzantines
      • Church Holy-Sophie de Thessalonique
      • Monastery Hossios-Loukas, in Thébaïde, together exceptional of the 12th century.

  • In Italy

    • Mosaic mosaic Romans
      • of Pompéi
      • mosaic of Ostie
      • mosaic of the Roman Villa of Casale in Sicily (3 500 m ² of mosaics of the 4th century)
    • Mosaic of the time of Saint-Vital Justinien
      • church with Ravenne
      • mausoleum of Official reception Placidia with Ravenne
    • Mosaic medieval

  • In Syria and Jordan

    • Mosaic Romans
      • Together exceptional of Shahba (Philippopolis) in the South of Syria.
      • Plane of the Holy Land, with Madaba in Jordan and other mosaics in the city.
      • Mosaic of Byzantine invoice in the Large mosque of Omeyyades to Damas.

  • In Tunisia

    • Mosaic Romans
      • Exceptional collection of the National museum of Bardo in Tunis.
      • the archaeological museum of Sousse

  • In Turkey

    • Mosaic Byzantines
      • Basilica Holy-Sophie of Constantinople.
      • Church of Christ in Chora (Karié Djami) with Constantinople, together exceptional of the childhood of the Virgin.

Mosaïstes of today

  • Mosaic Sylvie Potter Toulouse http://www.sylviepotier.com
  • Jerome MOSAIC Tramp-Workshop ABSOLUT http://www.absolutmosaique.com
  • Elisa Méhec (Mosalisa) *Marcelli the azou *Les 3R - International meetings of mosaic of Chartres *Marko Ivan Rupnik, mosaïste Slovenien, and Central Ezio Aletti *Mosaikashop, Workshop-school of mosaics, Montreal, Canada http://www.mosaikashop.com/
  • MosaiCatelier, Workshop-school of mosaics, holy Square faustin-Lake, Laurentides, Canada
  • Morgane Villa-Choby - ArtGane Workshop - Pleasure of Touch - http://atelierartgane.com
Insert a text to boldface into the place of this one

-->

External bonds

  • mosaic of Ganagobie on Abbeys in Provence
  • mosaic of the monastery of Ganagobie

See too

Random links:Robert Boulin business | Playtime (contemporary) | Shinji Aoyama | Bécébégé | Milan-San Remo 2000 | École_en_second_lieu_viennoise