Greek Mosaics
Pebble Mosaics
• Pavement mosaics– Temple of Athena Pronaia at Delphi (6th c.BC)– Geometric and floral patterns
• Figured scenes– Athens, Corinth, Motya– Olynthos (420-410BC)
Pebble Mosaic
•Pella (last quarter of 4th c.BC)
•Elite houses•Smaller, more tightly packed pebbles
Transition to Tesserae Mosaics
Transition to Tesserae Mosaics
Shaped pebbles
Simple designs without internal modeling
Transition to Tessarae Mosaics
Roughly shaped pebbles
Shaped pieces for specific features
Transition to Tesserae Mosaics
• Temple of Zeus at Olympia (c. 325BC)
• Morgantina, Sicily (260-250BC)– House of Ganymede
• Results– Different materials– Varied colors
Tersserae Mosaics
•2 techniques–Opus tessellatum–Opus vermiculatum
Techniques
•Vitruvius–Statumen, rudus, nucleus, setting bed, tesserae
Techniques
• Vitruvius– Rule and level– Smoothing
• Pattern books
• Preliminary drawings
Tesserae Mosaics
Alexandria
Tesserae Mosaics
• Delos (1st half of 2nd c.BC)– Introduction of smalti
• Pergamon– Intermediary shades– Optical illusion– Home of Sosos
Pompeii and Herculaneum
•The Three Graces•No attempt to copy painting•Possible wall mosaic
•The Alexander Mosaic–House of the Faun (late 2nd c.BC)
Roman Black and White Pavements
• Introduced in 1st c.BC
• Cheaper production method
• Ostia