Mosaics are full of drama and violence.Īction scenes, violent hunts, exotic creatures, and angsty mythological episodes are all frequent subjects on mosaics.
The Romans took the art form to the next level by using tesserae (cubes of stone, ceramic, or glass) to form intricate, colorful designs.Ĥ. The Greeks refined the art of figural mosaics by embedding pebbles in mortar. The Romans perfected mosaics as an art form. A mosaic from LACMA’s collection, on view in the exhibition, sports a hunting scene around the border, encouraging you to walk around and look again.ģ. Mosaics are designed to be seen from different angles and to change as your perspective moves. Enter mosaics: a durable and lavish way to spruce up a room and support foot traffic at the same time. Paintings covered the interior walls of Roman villas, but weren’t practical for decorating floors.
Roman mosaics were meant to be walked on. Paul Getty Museum, walked me through some of her favorite facts about mosaics, as well as a few can’t-miss objects in the exhibition.ġ. Large assemblages of mosaics aren’t usually on display at the Getty Villa-no wonder, given that the largest group in the collection is over 600 square feet and weighs 16,000 pounds!Įxhibition curator Alexis Belis, author of the accompanying digital publication Roman Mosaics in the J. The exhibition Roman Mosaics across the Empire features examples from Italy, France, North Africa, and Syria, some dating back 2,100 years. From dramatic athletic contests to tender portraits of local wildlife, mosaics provide a glimpse at who the Romans were, what they valued, and where they walked.
0 kommentar(er)
