London’s old shopfront mosaics and tiles
The mosaic is said to have originated in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) over 4,000 years ago, and though there are amazing examples throughout history, including dazzling floors created during the Roman Empire, it was only during the Byzantine Empire (the eastern half of the Roman Empire that survived for over a thousand years after the western half ended) that mosaics took over from sculpture as the predominant pictorial artform. They also moved – from the floors to the walls, hence more delicate and subtle materials such as gold and silver leaf, mother of pearl and coloured glass could be utilised (as they weren’t being trodden on), creating shimmering works of beauty.
Fast forward five hundred years and picture your late 19th, early 20th century proud London shopkeeper, having his shopfront floor mosaicked (Roman style), thinking his mosaic – and his shop – will last forever. But London moves too fast to care for history or art, and besides, who looks at the floor? I always think this about beauty in London: if it’s not nailed down in a gallery or guarded, it’s complete luck if it survives or not.
The most famous modern day mosaicist is undoubtedly Invader – a French Banksy minus the satire – who, according to his website, has produced 4055 invaders in 80 cities around the world. I definitely would have got bored of the concept by now, but anyway, his dedication has paid off, with his works commanding some €200,000 (and that was in 2017). No wonder the one below (in Shoreditch) has had a few attempts at being removed. Next to it, a mosaic of butterflies and palm trees in a south London park, probably just neglected and abandoned.
The Spanish have traditionally made the most beautiful tiles: their palaces – such as Alhambra – and churches are adorned with them but also, go into any bar in Seville and they’ll be tiles on the walls, in perfect condition. Like mosaics, tiles also date back thousands of years. And London tiles, like with London mosaics, it’s completely random if they survive or not. Especially after a night on the tiles.
Previously on Barnflakes
London typos
The art of the shop front
The Chewing Gum Artist Vs The Admen
If you think there’s been a shortage of posts recently, you’d be right, but that doesn’t mean things aren’t going on in the background. I’m often to be found redoing old posts, adding better photos and things like that. Recently I’ve tinkered with posts including Top ten London buildings, Inside Battersea Power Station, Sound Mirrors, Tuna Tunis and Trevithick Day in Camborne, Cornwall, to name just a few.