stained glass rose window – Mosaic and Stained Glass – Where Two Artforms Collide

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 11:44 am

Both stained glass and mosaic are pretty old art forms, which are equally as popular today as they ever have been.

Mosaics dating back hundreds of years are still regularly being unearthed today, from Roman and Byzantine ruins.

Romans in particular loved mosaics and used them extensively in their temples, town houses and bath houses. Often whole floors would be created showing ancient Gods or famous individuals such as Virgil the poet philosopher. It is testament to their skills that these mosaics often lasted for many years.

Stained glass origins are less clear, but it is known the Egyptians up to one thousand years ago had begun creating small colored glass bead and jewelery. These were only ever worn by the most rich and powerful people. In fact they were probably seen as magical amulets rather than the jewelery we would see them as today. The more complex creation of sheets of colored glass didn't occur till the middle ages, when large funds from the rich European churches funded the development of Cathedral Glass and Rose windows which we can still see today.

Mosaics in principle are quite simple, if time consuming to make, laying one tile down after another, whilst stained glass windows require both the skills of a master glass maker and a glass window craftsman.

When exactly these two different crafts were first combined is a matter for debate. But it is likely around the with the advent of strong clear glues which could bond glass to itself. The result was that mosaics of colored glass could now be created, set onto clear glass bases. In effect the simplicity of the mosaic had combined with the glorious luminous effects of stained glass to create the Stained Glass Mosaic.

Pete J Gorman is an artist working in Stainedglass Mosaics.

For information on contemporary Stained Glass Mosaic Artworks and their Uses in interior decoration.

For information about ancient Mosaic Art Works.