The Mesmerizing Quality of Mosaic Portraits
The age of smartphones popularized selfies to the point where pretty much anyone and everyone has one ridiculous selfie floating out there in the internet stratosphere. You know, the one when your left eye looks like it’s wandering, or the one where your teeth aren’t showing so it looks like you don’t have them? Yeah, those ones. Now that was one problem people didn’t have two hundred years ago. What they did have were stunningly realistic but undoubtedly flattering portraits of themselves. That is one of the main reasons why, portraits never really went out of style and you still see them around.
The first portraits we know of for certain can be traced back to ancient Egypt where they have been a significant societal tool for showcasing wealth, power, and beauty. Not much has changed over the last 5000 years on that front. “Lady with an Ermine” and “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo are still as fascinating as they always were, and Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is still a symbol of class and subtlety.
Over the years, changing trends have dictated different techniques and styles of portraits. The Baroque period is known for its religious portraits that feature a striking contrast between light and shadow, while Romanticism is famous for its popular “romantic hero” portrait approach. Later on, impressionists priritized the light over facial features creating some vivid portrait masterpieces, while modernists transformed the art of portraying with their playful use of shape and color.
Once upon a time, artists were commissioned by high-ranking individuals, and the main demand was for them to create a portrait that would convey their beauty and power to the public. However, with the invention of the camera, the seemingly realistic approach lost its charm, and artists took their liberties to another level. Artists like Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo have documented their lives and psyche through their distinctive portrait styles, while Andy Warhol’s print-screen portraits ushered in a new era of dramatic and colorful.
Throughout all of the changes, one thing remained the same — the unmatched durability of the mosaic portraits. Portraying comes in a variety of art forms, but one that managed to follow up in every style and trend, while keeping its core value intact is mosaic art. From the astoundingly well-preserved mosaic portraits of the Mona Lisa of the Galilee tracing back to the 4th Century AD, and the stunningly detailed mosaic portrait of Empress Theodora dating back to the 6th Century AD, mosaic art has managed to maintain its rightful place at the helm of portrait art.
Aside from having its faithful and most intricate originals, mosaic art is also masterful at reproduction. These days people would rather have a mosaic reproduction of the famous painting on their wall, rather than a simply repainted artwork. Once you’ve laid your eyes on any mosaic artwork the effort that went into it is immediately clear and awe-inducing. Hundreds of differently colored glass tiles will always look more complex and inspiring than swift traces of brush strokes.
Today mosaic portraits are pretty much everywhere, and for a good reason. As impressive as subway graffiti art can get, it could never match the intensity of the vivid mosaic portraits gracing the NYC Subway station. Modern art with all its novelties and conveniences hasn’t managed to push out the masterful skill of mosaic art.
The mosaic portraits featured in this post are just some of our masterpieces. Aside from browsing through our colorful catalog, you can also check in with our customer service professionals and get your own stunning mosaic portrait. Capture any moment in time with mosaic art today, so you can cherish it forever.
This article was originally published on Mosaics Lab’s website.
