The Mosaic
The identification of mosaic as the best technique for producing durable and long-lasting works was first used by the ancient Romans and later the Byzantines, who saw in it an important means of artistic expression that has preserved some of the most complex and sublime examples of the creative ability of many artists since antiquity.
This splendor and consistency could not help but interest the rising class of the “new Florentines”, as Dante called them, who were not rich by birth but rather were merchants who had become affluent through their work and businesses. The timeless splendor of the fascinating mosaic decoration in the Baptistery of Florence is owed to the Merchants’ Guild (Arte di Calimala), which had been entrusted with its care by the city. The material used for the tesserae and the compositional technique that evolved over time can easily be seen by a careful examination of the works which have come down to us by looking at their composition and state of repair. Ravenna, Venice, and Florence, together with many other important sites, bear witness to this activity, still found nowadays at various public and private institutions dedicated to the teaching of this craft and to the identifying best possible methods for analyzing and preserving the resulting works. There is a very strong link between mosaic and commesso, i.e. works carried out assembling semi-precious stones, with the zenith of their workmanship being reached in the 16th century with the foundation of the Opificio desired by the Medici and whose name still today remains a symbol of excellence. Fortunately, the tradition has not completely disappeared but only a few schools and workshops still survive. It would be an important step, in particular for Florence, to support the efforts to maintain the conditions suitable for continuing an art that is capable of making the solidity of stone appear “light”.
by Carla Guiducci Bonanni,
President of the Association Amici dei Musei
