tesserae

(noun)

Small square pieces of stone, wood, ivory or glass used for making a mosaic.

Related Terms

Examples of tesserae in the following topics:

  • Mosaics in the Early Byzantine Empire

    • Further, technological advances (lighter-weight tesserae and a new cement recipe) made wall mosaics easier than they had been in the preceding centuries, when floor mosaics were favored.
    • The mosaic technique involved fitting together small pieces of stone and glass (tesserae).
    • When set together, the tesserae create a paint-like effect in which different colors meld into one another to create shadows and a sense of depth.
    • Moreover, Byzantine artists often placed gold backing behind the clear glass tesserae such that the mosaics would appear to emit a mysterious light of their own.

  • Paintings, Macedonian Court Art, and the Alexander Mosaic

    • The careful shading within the mosaic tesserae models the characters to give the figures mass and volume.

  • Painting in the Greek High Classical Period

    • The careful shading within the mosaic tesserae models the characters to give the figures mass and volume.