As published in: Glass Craftsman, June 2003
by Gina Hubler
Micro-mosaics have a fairly short history in the mosaic world. The art form was developed in the late 1700Õs and the apex of its popularity was in the 1800Õs. This is in comparison to mosaics which have been in existence since before Christ, with resurgences in popularity in Greek Civilization, the Byzantine era and Roman times as well as our contemporary appreciation. The majority of micro-mosaics which have been created are attributed to Roman artisans. Today, with the mosaic art form seeing such resurgence in popularity, it seems natural that micro-mosaics will also come back into vogue. This is already being seen with collectors of antiquities. I have enjoyed working with many styles of mosaic, this process and contemporary adaptations thereof have truly sparked my imagination! However, before discussing newer styles I think it is important to look at the history and elements of this art form.
Smalti is the traditional glass of classical mosaicists. It has been used in mosaics since Greek civilization 1 B.C. The recipe for this heavily pigmented glass paste has been jealously guarded throughout the centuries. Venetian glassmakers keep this mixture of silica and metal oxides in crucibles inside their furnaces with temperatures as high as 1500 degrees. The molten glass is pressed and then checked for color. The person with the “eye” for the color is key in this process, as too much or too little heat will alter the shade. This is a job for the Òmaestro” or head of the studio. The exact shade being attained, it is then poured onto a marver table to a thickness of aprox. 5/16 of an inch. The edges of the round shaped Òpizza” are cut off, leaving a square shaped piece of glass approximately one square foot to be annealed. It is this attention and limited production which incites mosaicists throughout the world to covet this tesserae.
During the late 1700’s glassmaker Giacomo Raffaelli’s discovery of “smalti filati” opened the door to the creation of micro-mosaics. This process blended a mixture of two or more colors of smalti (more on this later) and melted them with a torch up to 800 degrees. When the smalti would begin to melt in the small crucible, the glass was mixed together forming an impressionist palette. The glass was then stretched into long thin pieces or filaments. These filaments are by nature uneven in diameter and often oval or irregular in shape. The filament was then cut down into small pieces using a martellino and hardie. Raffaelli is attributed as being the father of this style of mosaic. Today you may see many of his creations on display in London at the Gilbert Collection, a wonderful collection of both micromosaics and Florentine style “pietra dura” (hard stone) mosaics. The only other collection of note would be at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Now, let’s take it back a few hundred years and set the stage for the production of “micro-mosaics”É In 1578 the Vatican Mosaic School was opened to train mosaicists in the Vatican style of mosaic. The papacy had decreed that the paintings in St. PeterÕs Basilica were to be transposed into mosaic so that they would remain “paintings for eternity”. Many of the masterworks which embellished the basilica at the time, were sustaining damage due to the size of the building and the humidity it retained. The Roman mosaicists felt that the Venetian glass they were using was too glossy and transparent in nature to accurately create reproductions of the masterworks, therefore, their solution was to start producing their own glass paste, or smalti. The difference being the Roman glassmakers produced colors with more opacity, which closely emulated the oil paintings which were being copied. In 1727 the Vatican Mosaic Studio was opened coinciding with the demise of the school. This studio is still in existence as a working mosaic studio employing seven mosaicists. The mosaicists working here are highly skilled artisans as this is their job for a lifetime. The Roman smalti makers are no longer in existence, however the Vatican studio has a vault where the library of smalti is kept. This is, by far, the most comprehensive library of color in the world; over 28,000 shades have been recorded.
It was during the end of the 1700’s that work became scarce for many mosaicists. The Vatican had slowed down production and there were many skilled artisans without work. For the past three centuries mosaicists had generally worked for the church as this was a period of great transition. During this time Rome was a popular destination for Europeans as a final stop of the “Grand Tour”. Some of the first applications of the micro-mosaic were that of jewelry, which was highly coveted by those who had the privilege of making this gratifying voyage. By the 1800’s the area of Rome by the Piazza di Spagna was lined with over 20 mosaicist shops.
The earliest micro-mosaics in the late 1700’s often depicted archeological scenes of Rome and ruins which had been recently uncovered in Pompeii and Herculaneum. This style was revisited during the period of Neoclassicism around 1825 to 1830. In the early 1800’s Romanticism and Naturalism were reflected in the content of the micro-mosaics showing small animals and flowers. Scenes, which were reminiscent of the English countryside were also depicted.
Originally the micro-mosaic support was fabricated in copper, however, it was found that stone or glass was more suitable in order to set it into jewelry or other objects dÕart. There were studios, which specialized in specific micro-mosaic renderings such as Byzantine style work, landscapes and floral scenes. The art form was also used for tabletop medallions often inset into a bed of black Belgian marble similar to the Pietra Dura form of mosaic being practiced in Florence. They were often given by diplomats, such as Napolean, and Tsar Paul I as a gift of distinction. One such gift was noted to have been in production for six years with over 60,000 pieces of filati in the inset medallion. You will find micro-mosaic murals, however, these are indeed rare, and most always the result of commissioned work.
The traditional method of creating micro-mosaics used an adhesive of lime burnt from marble and finely powdered travertine stone mixed to a paste consistency with linseed or flax oil. This mixture needed to set up to one year before being ready for use; a mosaicist is able to work with it for months before it slowly dries. The interstices between the tesserae were also filled with wax and often colored. The finished mosaic was polished and given a wax coating to protect it. In the 1870’s the fabrication of the micro-mosaic significantly changed styles, and the wax was no longer used to fill between the tesserae. At this point a decline in this art form was experienced, the mosaics became larger and more irregularly fit.
This brings us into contemporary “micro-macro-mosaics”, this being the term I have coined for my micro-mosaic process. Which, I might add is ever evolving, being an artist who loves to “push the envelope” when given the chance. I started creating in this style while I was teaching at “The Studio”, at the Corning Museum last summer. It is a policy to encourage their classes and professors to interact. The facilities are truly wonderful with tooling both cutting edge and old world. This is right up my alley, as I am somewhat of a tool junkie! Though I have a great respect for the traditional methods and designs, I enjoy mixing things up a bit. Some of my most inspired work has come from my biggest mistakes.
While at Corning I tried my hand with a bit of flame working. This has intrigued me since I first visited the Vatican Studios and saw their method of pulling smalti filati.
I am also intrigued by the effect of combining different colors of glass to achieve a painterly palette. In truth, color is one of my strongest inspirations. I also love elements of metallic and iridescence and use them in my work often.
Check our class schedule in Miami for upcoming Micro-Macro mosaic classes! You can also find mosaic and micro-mosaic supplies and tooling in the supplies section, as well as seeing more of my in my gallery section. And as alwaysÉ I look forward to creating for, and, with you!