Since early times man has used bits of stone, ceramics, glass, shell, and plastics, (as well as other unusual materials), to create mosaics for public and private buildings, spaces and purposes. Mosaic making can take on many forms including interior and exterior designs, furniture ornamentation, jewelry making, and an enormous range of decorative objects such as table tops or wall hangings. The permanence of the materials used has meant that many mosaics have survived in good condition. Mosaics have been uncovered in many cities including Venice, Florence, Ravenna, Jerusalem, Pompeii, Tunisia, London, and Istanbul, and can also be found in museums in Paris, Stanford, Los Angeles, and New York. Five thousand years ago the Sumerians created mural patterns by driving colored cones into walls, and by 3rd century BC, Greeks were constructing mosaics out of colored pebbles. Between AD 518-527, mosaic became the primary medium for decorating Christian churches. Initially, the Renaissance saw a decline in the practice of mosaic making, but by the mid-fifteenth century, large quantities of smalti (bits of glazed ceramic tile) were produced, and new works were created.
By the eighteenth century, Rome was firmly established as a great center for mosaic, and a studio was even set up in the Vatican! The main objective was to create large mosaics as well as murals, though at the same time there was also an interest in "miniature mosaic", using tesserae barely visible to the eye. One of our favorite mosaic artists is the Spanish architect Gaudi, whose exquisite work can be seen all around the city of Barcelona! The nineteenth century fueled a revival for arts and crafts of all kinds, including mosaics. At this time, mosaics became accessible to the average person and the custom of having a permanent mosaic installed became more common. Today, mosaics exist in many forms and continue to be consistent with their ancient counterparts.
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While deeply involved
in mosaic making, Kirstin is taking a hiatus from the medium for a
two year stint in the Peace Corps starting in mid September 2002.
However, while in Ghana (that's West Africa), she will be checking
her e-mail and maintaing contact with individuals here. Don't hesitate
to write, you will hear back (at least eventually!).
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Influenced by contemporary developments in painting in the late
sixteenth century, Renaissance mosaic reached its zenith in the enormous
work for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The piece was called "Ghirlandaio",
and people remarked that mosaic (as demonstrated through this piece)
was "La vera pittura per l’eternita" or "The true
way of painting for eternity".
