Mosaic

Mosaic is an image composed of small particles, traditionally little cubes (tesserae) of terracotta, coloured glass, ceramic, stone, or marble, set into mortar on floors, walls, and vaults. The art of mosaic has a history spanning millennia: it developed in Mesopotamia, reached refinement in Hellenistic Greece and Rome, where it adorned the floors of villas, and attained its highest spiritual expression in Byzantine sacred art. Byzantine masters used smalti — opaque coloured glass, often backed with a thin layer of gold — so that the shimmering surfaces of churches seemed to glow from within. This tradition had a decisive influence on Kyivan Rus. The most outstanding monument of Ukrainian mosaic is the ensemble of St Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv from the eleventh century, notably the majestic «Virgin Orans» in the apse, executed from millions of smalti cubes. The art of mosaic experienced a revival in Art Nouveau and in twentieth-century monumental art, retaining exceptional durability and radiant colour.