. A history of architecture in Italy from the time of Constantine to the dawn of the renaissance. )rei):iriiig the ^•old tesser.** was as follows : * The metal leaf wasspread over one of the g-lass slabs, the color of which did not matter, as it was hidden bythe ^?old ; over tl\is inetal-e«);ited slab a skin of colorless {jflass wjis fused, so iOs to pro-tect the metal leaf from injury or tarnish, and then the slab wjvs broken up into cubes,the \j/ri(poi xp^f^^oi of liyzantine writers. J. II. Middleton. in Kncyc. lirit. - See Ciampini, vol. ili. p. .»7. for a descrij)tion of tlie mosaic on the
. A history of architecture in Italy from the time of Constantine to the dawn of the renaissance. )rei):iriiig the ^•old tesser.** was as follows : * The metal leaf wasspread over one of the g-lass slabs, the color of which did not matter, as it was hidden bythe ^?old ; over tl\is inetal-e«);ited slab a skin of colorless {jflass wjis fused, so iOs to pro-tect the metal leaf from injury or tarnish, and then the slab wjvs broken up into cubes,the \j/ri(poi xp^f^^oi of liyzantine writers. J. II. Middleton. in Kncyc. lirit. - See Ciampini, vol. ili. p. .»7. for a descrij)tion of tlie mosaic on the facade of St. Peters,with engraving, and also for that of the vault of the tribune (p. 42). IM1I-: INrIJKNCK 200. Fig*. 149. S. Lorenzo. Mosaics of Facade. The use of mosaic on the exterior walls was soon discontinued, butwas revived after some centuries, and with greater splendor, in thefacjades of St. Marks, the cathedrals of Orvieto and Spoleto, andother churches. In S. Maria in Trastevere we have the best remain-ing example of the way in which this exterior decoration was appliedto the basilicas, a broad frieze of mosaic of highly monumental char-acter about nine feet high covering the whole concave cornice of thefaqade, and representing the parable of the wise and the foolishvirgins. Two rectangular panels which flank the great rose windowbelow bear standing figures of St. Peter and St. Paul on a goldground. A similar decoration is still to be seen on the fagades ofS. Lorenzo fuori le Mura (Fig. 149), S. Crisogono, and S. Maria inAra Cceli. The dome was also a favorite field for the mosaicist, andmany large domes were thus decorated over their entire surface. Theearliest conspicuous example
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