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