Roman Mosaic Art - Andromeda & Perseus.

The Myth of Andromeda and Perseus has been the subject of numerous ancient and modern works of art, which typically show the moment when Perseus rescues her from the Monster Cetos.

Andromeda & Perseus - Fresco, Pompeii

When her mother Queen Cassiopeia  boasted that  Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids,  Poseidon sent the sea monster Cetus to ravage the coast of Ethiopia. An Oracle announced that to save his kingdom the King would have to sacrifice his daughter to the monster. And so Andromeda was chained naked to a rock on the coast.

Perseus, who was passing by on his way back from slaying Medusa came to rescue the Maiden. Sneaking upon Cetus under a cloak of invisibility, he killed him, set Andromeda free, and married her.

On this 3rd century mosaic from Gaziantep, Turkey, Perseus is still holding the head of Medusa slained earlier in the story. 

The names on the mosaics are written in Greek characters as People from that part of the empire were generally speaking Greek rather than latin. 

Mosaic borders were expertly used by Roman mosaicists to create the same effect wooden frames have on paintings. The relatively simple design of this one contrasts with the intricacies of the mythological scene and pulls our eyes and attention toward the main scene. 

Here is this pattern : 

Andromeda - Perseus Mosaic border pattern.

I am currently building a library of Roman Mosaic borders to be used in modern mosaics. 

Meander border on Carola Quinta Mosaic (Work in Progress)

Would you be interested in using some of those patterns for your own art ? Please contact me at frederic.lecut@mosaicblues.com.

I am a French mosaicist

living in Headland, Alabama, USA.

My Art is about inspiring people.

You can see some of my work 

at www.mosaicblues.com

You can contact me either by phone 

at (334) 798 1639 or by email at 

frederic.lecut@mosaicblues.com

You can also subscribe to my

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The Queen of the Night

Today my main topic won't be mosaic, but the beautiful Queen of the Night...

I met her on June 8 at the British Museum, but had known her for a long long time, and was thrilled to meet her in person for the first time.

Interestingly enough, the Sumerian Goddess from about 1750 BC comes 1300 years later to haunt Odysseus on a Greek Crater from around 450 BC.

1600 years later as a funerary mermaid.

and 2100 years later on a beautiful Roman mosaic in Tunisia, as a mermaid again, taunting Odysseus...

So you see here, we have an old symbol, sometimes we call it an archetype, which has survived 2000 years, and somehow is still alive in collective memories... 

 

Kongelige Bibliotek, Gl. kgl. S. 3466 8º, Folio 37r

That is why studying Art, History and Mythology  might help us understand present times. There is a reason why dictators don't want us to study humanities (or finance education systems which would teach these materials). Humanities allow us to understand what people did it in the past, why they did it, what happened to them as a consequence, and may help us make sure  we won't get fooled again...

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by my work in general  or if you would simply like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@mosaic.com   

or by phone at (334) 798 1639.  You can also

SUBSCRIBE to my

NEWSLETTER