EXPLORING THE BEAUTY OF ANIMAL MOSAIC MURALS
For as long as people have been seeing animals in their habitat they wanted either to hunt, tame or depict them. Keeping that in mind it is no wonder that animal mosaics are some of the earliest examples of art ever found.
Every art form has its very own animal-related expression. From da Vinci’s studies of animals to Maurice Ravel’s “Mother Goose Suite”, animals have always been celebrated through art. Aside from the intricate mosaics shown in this post, some of my personal favorites are Edvin Landseer’s “The Monarch of the Glen” and Antoine-Louis Barye’s “The Lion and Serpent” sculpture.
If you’re hungry for a more modern depiction, there’s always the glorious “Alpha” staring Cody McPhee. Or if you want something more controversial read Bunny by Mona Awad. However, if you wish to get lost in the sheer beauty and magnificence of art, these mosaics should do the trick.
Ancient Greeks, and later Romans, developed the technique of tesserae to perfection and one of the focuses of their artworks was both wild and domestic animals. From hunting scenes to amazing and innovative mythological bestiaries, Ancient mosaic art was rich with animal depictions of every kind. Not much has changed in the meantime. These days you aren’t so likely to see a Nemean Lion mosaic on someone’s entryway floor, but you shouldn’t be surprised if you see a prideful peacock in all its detailed mosaic glory.
Animal mosaics are present in our pools, so you can always see a sea turtle or dolphin frolicking on its bottom. On our walls animal mosaics are usually scenes from nature captured by the highest quality glass mosaic tiles, or mosaic portraits done in sturdy but elegant marble. In our kitchens, our backsplashes are often graced by mosaic pheasant and playful horses, while our bathrooms are no strangers to a flock of mosaic fishes and funny-looking pelicans.
Animal mosaics truly are all around us. they’ve been around for thousands of years and they’ll be around for thousand more if our planet is lucky enough to last that long.
