Roman mosaics : over 60 full-colour images from the 4th through the 13th centuries

In many of the Italian Christian churches in the vicinity of Rome, mosaics were an important aspect of decoration. This full-color collection includes some of the finest examples of those mosaics. Filled with scenes taken directly from biblical myth and literature, the book spotlights more than sixty mosaic masterpieces created by Italian craftsmen from the fourth through the thirteenth centuries. A third of the images are from the Old Testament, illustrating such stories as Abraham and the angels, Jacob and Rachel, Moses and the burning bush, Pharaoh's army drowning in the Red Sea, and Joshua and the battle of Jericho. Most of the remaining mosaics feature New Testament themes or characters: the birth of Jesus, calling for apostles, multiplying the loaves and fishes, and more. Roman Mosaics is a magnificent book for browsing through, and will appeal to art historians, mosaic artists, and religious scholars. Among the most spectacular artifacts from a long-fallen empire, mosaics decorated churches, public spaces, and the homes of the ruling class. Steeped in religious imagery, this glorious collection spotlights over 60 priceless examples of ancient tile art featuring images of Christ, apostles such as Bartholomew, Peter, and Paul, and numerous biblical scenes.