The Short History of Decorative Arabic Glass Mosaics
If you are familiar with glass mosaics, then you know how beautiful they are for home decorations. But there is a whole history behind Arabic or Islamic mosaic art that is definitely worth knowing. Before purchasing glass mosaics with Bedrosians Tile & Stone Coupons, you may want to know the beautiful traditions and history behind these pieces.
Mosaics are usually pictures or decorations made of small colored pieces of inlaid stone or glass. They are used as various forms of decorations to make a simple place more colorful by using them as tiles, on the walls, or even art pieces. We can trace them all the way back to prominent Islamic traditions.
The Beginnings of Mosaic Art
Did you know that Muslims are prohibited from drawing figural images? This is why artists combined geometric shapes in sophisticated and unexpected patterns to form mosaic art. You might think that the shapes and patterns are random, but they are actually well-thought-out. Muslim artists even apply geometric principles behind these patterns to guarantee that the design will not repeat itself.
It is believed that Islamic philosophers and artists learned about geometry by looking at the works of Greek philosophers and mathematicians, like Euclid and Pythagoras. These lessons allowed them to create the beginnings of mosaic art which are tessellations.
Tessellations are created when a certain shape is repeated over and over again, enough to cover a plane without any gaps or overlaps and using a set of five tile types called “girih tiles.” The evolution of girih tiles and decorative tessellations led to using the quasi-periodic concept.
Quasi-periodic tiling is when one pattern is then extended to infinite proportions to distribute it evenly throughout the tiling. The complexity behind these designs really highlights the beauty and uniqueness of Islamic architecture in its Golden Age.
Combining all of these concepts, Muslim artists came up with the amazing mosaic tiling patterns that we know today! They are indeed very smart to have incorporated math, logic, and art into their architecture such as shrines and mosques which featured these astounding mosaics.
Glass Mosaics in Architecture and Design
Muslim artists all over the world popularized mosaics by using them to decorate walls, floors, pots, lamps, book covers, even textiles. Architects went so far as decorating buildings like The Mezquita in Spain or the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem while applying the same geometric patterns of tessellations and mosaics. Large domes are tricky to create, but the Muslim artists have perfected it to look very aesthetically-pleasing and with balanced proportions of course.
In our modern society, we see glass mosaics pretty much everywhere. Restaurants, churches, wineries, even hotels incorporate these to decorate their spaces and elevate their guests’ experience. Using Bedrosians Tile & Store Coupons, anyone can now avail of beautiful glass mosaics!
Mosaics are famously used in religious places which makes sense because of their Islamic roots. It has become so popular and well-loved that even people from different religions seek out mosaic pieces to decorate their own churches and domes! There is such a rich history behind these glass mosaics. Lucky for us, they are widely available for anyone interested in interior design. Make sure to have some Bedrosians Tile & Store Coupons at the ready and you will surely find the glass mosaic that is perfect for your home.
