Tuesday 13 April

10 AM PDT
1 PM EDT
6 PM BST
7 PM CEST

With Dr. Eireann Marshall

The province of Africa produced some of the finest mosaics in the Roman empire. The wealth accumulated from the trade in olive-oil and grain resulted in the development of an elite class which wanted to invest in houses that allowed them to display their status, hence the proliferation of mosaics in the province. This lecture will explore the development of mosaics in Africa, comparing the art form to those from Italy from the same period, as well as those from Piazza Armerina. We will show that the African mosaicists developed their own distinctive style drawn from Roman models, which they were able to export to Italy.

Exploring the magnificent mosaics from the bath- houses and elite dwellings which are now in display in Tunisia’s exceptional museums, we will see that there is a familiar palette of colours that is used in the mosaics, as well as familiar themes and decorative borders. We will end with the Byzantine period which developed a new language of mosaic art epitomised in splendid baptismal fonts.