Stories in Stone: Roman Mosaics From Tunisia at the Getty Villa

By N.S. Gill, About.com Guide

From October 26, 2006 - April 30, 2007, the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, is exhibiting Roman mosaics from Tunisia created from the second to fifth century A.D. Tunisian mosaics, made of limestone frequently combined with colored glass and marble, are known for their naturally occurring vivid color. Mosiacs were created by cutting the stone into small tiles called 'tesserae' and placing them one at a time into a layer of mortar.

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. It is located at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway; Pacific Palisades, California 90272.

This Roman mosaic was made c. A.D. 300, from limestone and marble. It measures 113x125.7 centimeters.

Stories in Stone is a collaboration between the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), and the Institut National du Patrimoine (INP), Tunisia.

Previous

• Owl and Dying Birds (VEX.2006.3.4)
• Hare with Grapes and a Pomegranate (VEX.2006.3.6)
• Woman Pouring Water (VEX.2006.3.3)
• Venus and Cupids (VEX.2006.3.27)
• Neptune Driving a Sea Chariot (VEX.2006.3.14)
• Theater Masks (VEX.2006.3.16)
• Game Sponsors Feasting in the Arena (VEX.2006.3.24)
• Head of Oceanus (VEX.2006.3.12)

Next