mosaics
Art from fragments
Mosaics are decorative artworks made by arranging small pieces of colored glass, stone, or tile into patterns or images.
The technique dates to antiquity and appears in floors, walls, and ceilings of churches and public buildings.
Figuratively, mosaic describes anything composed of diverse elements: a mosaic of cultures, a mosaic of farmland seen from the air.
Mosaic's constituent pieces
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- RavennaEmilia-Romagna coastal city
- PompeiiVolcano-buried Roman city
- RomanOf ancient Italy's capital
Herculaneum · basilica · villas · catacombs · archaeology · excavation · ruins · antiquity
Mosaic's constituent pieces
- groutTile joint filler
- ceramicFired clay material
- porcelainTranslucent fired clay
- terracottaFired reddish-brown ceramic
glazed · marble · travertine · slate · glass · stone · pebbles · shells
Tile joint filler
- nippersGripping or cutting implements
- tweezersPincerlike gripping instrument
- settingContext of events
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
laying · interstices · spacing · bedding · thinset
Fabric scraps sewn together
- tapestryDecorative woven wall cloth
- kaleidoscopeTube with rotating color symmetry
- collageAssembled mixed-media artwork
- compositeMade of distinct parts
blend · medley · fusion · assemblage · diversity · fragments · pieces · multicultural
Relating to mathematical shapes
- tessellationGapless plane coverage
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
- motifRecurring thematic element
- repetitionAct of redoing
grid · lattice · interlace · checkerboard · border · medallion · figurative · floral
Indoor walking surface
- wallVertical enclosing structure
- ceilingRoom's upper surface
- domeRounded vault forming roof
- apseVaulted church recess
niche · fountain · backsplash · facade · column · frieze · spandrel · vault
Glass-like in appearance
- muralsLarge wall paintings
- GaudiCatalan architectural visionary
- glassworkCrafting objects from silica
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
artisan · studio · commission · restoration · figurative · abstract · decorative · installation
tesserae
Mosaic's constituent pieces
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- RavennaEmilia-Romagna coastal city
- PompeiiVolcano-buried Roman city
Roman · Herculaneum · basilica · villas · catacombs · archaeology · excavation · ruins · antiquity · classical
tesserae
Mosaic's constituent pieces
terracotta · glazed · marble · travertine · slate · glass · stone · pebbles · shells · mirror
grout
Tile joint filler
cutting · laying · interstices · spacing · bedding · thinset
patchwork
Fabric scraps sewn together
- tapestryDecorative woven wall cloth
- kaleidoscopeTube with rotating color symmetry
- collageAssembled mixed-media artwork
composite · blend · medley · fusion · assemblage · diversity · fragments · pieces · multicultural · interconnected
geometric
Relating to mathematical shapes
- tessellationGapless plane coverage
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
- motifRecurring thematic element
repetition · grid · lattice · interlace · checkerboard · border · medallion · figurative · floral · arabesque
floor
Indoor walking surface
apse · niche · fountain · backsplash · facade · column · frieze · spandrel · vault · alcove
vitreous
Glass-like in appearance
craftsmanship · artisan · studio · commission · restoration · figurative · abstract · decorative · installation · contemporary
- cultural heritagefolklore, traditions, customs, folk music revival, museum collections
- archaeologyexcavation, dig site, archaeologist, dig, archaeological digs
- early art workscave paintings, petroglyphs, medieval manuscripts, illuminated manuscripts, frescoes
- Mediterranean artGreek sculpture, Byzantine icons, Greek pottery, Greek vases, Roman busts
- regional decorative artsfolk crafts, folk art, quilts, quilting, pottery
- Roman artfrescoes, Roman art, Roman statues, Roman busts, sculpture
mosaicspaintings
Pictures made with pigment
frescoes · murals · oil paintings · brushwork · relief carvings
- cultural mosaicSociety preserving distinct heritages
- mosaic tilesSmall pieces for patterns
- mosaic artArt from arranged fragments
- tile mosaicsImages from small fragments
- mosaic patternsDesigns from fitted pieces
- glass mosaicImage from fitted fragments