Selene Mosaic. Planetarium House. 60x68cm

Description

Handcrafted mosaic in the Roman style depicting Selene, the goddess of the Moon.

Dimensions: Height: 68 cm, Width: 60 cm.

Stone tesserae mosaic. Handmade in Spain.

Mosaics are pictorial works created from small pieces of stone, ceramic, glass, or similar materials in various shapes and colors, known as tesserae, which are bound together with plaster or another adhesive to form decorative compositions, whether geometric or figurative.

This mosaic is entirely handmade, following the ancient Roman technique known as opus tessellatum, which uses cubic stone tesserae.

In its creation, 8mm tesserae made from natural stones and marbles of different colors were used. It is mounted on a mortar with a metal structure, ready to be hung on a wall or used as floor pavement.

This mosaic of Selene, goddess of the Moon, is inspired by the mosaic from the House of the Planetarium in Italica, Santiponce, Seville.

The Romans adopted the art of mosaics from Greece and Asia Minor in the 2nd century BC after conquering these regions. This decorative art was so well-received that it became an essential element for decorating the domus (homes) of affluent Roman citizens.

The decorative motifs in Roman mosaics were very diverse, ranging from geometric patterns to images representing elements of nature such as trees, gardens, and landscapes, as well as scenes featuring human figures inspired by domestic life or mythology. This includes this fragment of the Planetarium mosaic of Italica, which portrays the gods of the planets and the Moon.