udy.

The art of mosaic making has changed very little during the centuries.
Nearly all the technical methods now used were known to the ancients.
In fact, this art is rather an elemental one, and any departure
from old established rules is liable to lead the worker into a
new craft; his art becomes that of the inlayer or the enameller
when he attempts to use larger pieces in cloissons, or to fuse
bits together by any process.

Mosaic is a natural outgrowth from other inlaying; when an elaborate
design had to be set up, quite too complicated to be treated in
tortuously-cut large pieces, the craftsman naturally decided to
render the whole work with small pieces, which demanded less accurate
shaping of each piece. Originally, undoubtedly, each bit of glass or
stone was laid in the soft plaster of wall or floor; but now a more
labour saving method has obtained; it is amusing to watch the modern
rest-cure. Instead of an artist working in square bits of glass to
carry out his design, throwing his interest and personality into the
work, a labourer sits leisurely before a large cartoon, on which he
glues pieces of mosaic the prescribed colour and size, mechanically
fitting them over the design until it is completely covered. Then
this sheet of paper, with the mosaic glued to it, is slapped on to
the plaster wall, having the stones next to the plaster, so that,
until it is dry, all that can be seen is the sheet of paper apparently
fixed on the wall. But lo! the grand transformation! The paper is
washed off, leaving in place the finished product--a very accurate
imitation of the picture on which the artist laboured, all in place in
the wall, every stone evenly set as if it had been polished--entirely
missing the charm of the irregular faceted effect of an old
mosaic--again mechanical facility kills the spirit of an art.

Much early mosaic, known as Cosmati Work, is inlaid into marble,
in geometric designs; twisted columns of this class of work may be
seen in profusion in Rome, and the facade of Orvieto is similarly
decorated. Our illustration will demonstrate the technical process
as well as a description.

The mosaic base of Edward the Confessor's shrine is inscribed to
the effect that it was wrought by Peter of Rome. It was a dignified
specimen of the best Cosmati. All the gold glass which once played
its part in the scheme of decoration has been picked out, and in
fact most of the pieces in the pattern are missing.

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