Glossary

Tesserae Small blocks of stone, tile, glass or other material used in the construction of a mosaic.

Substrate The surface on which the tesserae will be adhered. There are many choices -wood, cement foam core, glass, metal – but it must be a rigid surface.

Adhesive The “glue” used to adhere tesserae to the substrate. Options vary depending on whether the mosaic is for indoors or outdoors, the type of substrate, and personal preference. Common adhesives are weldbond, clear silicone, tile mastic and thinset (cement mortor).

Pique assiette Refers to a mosaic of broken crockery and found objects. It originates in the activities of Raymond Isidore of Chartres, northern France, who became known by the name "Picassiette". In the 1930s Isidore began the obsessive enrichment of his entire property (inside and out) with intricate and decorative mosaics of salvaged shards, and his house came to be called La Maison Picassiette (http://www.thejoyofshards.co.uk/index.shtml)

*Stone A broad category of rocks and minerals (including precious and semi-precious) that have properties such as color and hardness which can be used to advantage by mosaic artists. Stone is cut and shaped using hand or machine tools and the surfaces can be left in their natural state or polished smooth.

*Igneous Stone formed from cooled magma or lava. This category includes granite and obsidian.

*Metamorphic Stone formed when either igneous or sedimentary rock was exposed to high temperatures and pressure. Some examples are marble and slate.

*Pebbles Small stones that are naturally smoothed by the movement of water or by human means such as by using rock tumblers.

*Sedimentary Stones which are formed from layers of minerals that have been deposited over time. These are the rocks such as sandstone and limestone that can contain fossils.

*Smalti Glass The plural of smalto, also known by some as enameled glass. This is glass, mostly opaque, in which metal oxides are mixed to give an extraordinary range of color. The molten glass is poured into disks, cooled, and cut into smaller rectangular pieces which he mosaicist will further shape by using tools such as a hammer. Smalti are typically laid with the cut sides face up to achieve the most brilliant effects. Historically, smalti come from Venice and Murano in Italy though today smalti are also made in Mexico. A more expensive variety of smalti are those that contain a thin layer of copper, gold, or silver leaf sandwiched beneath a thin layer of clear glass and a thicker glass base that may be clear or colored. Some mosaicists prefer the term “Venetian Gold” although, like the colored smalti, this material is now also produced in countries other than Italy.

*Andamento From the Italian andare, “to walk or ride.” Describes the placement of tesserae in a flowing pattern that suggests movement among the elements of the composition.


*Glossary Excerpted from the Exhibition Guide Series produced by JeanAnn Dabb and students in “Mosaics: History and Techniques” classes at the University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia 2007-2011: Melinda Allen, Samantha Crouse, Luisa Dispenzirie, Courtney Fishback, Melody Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Goble, Sarah Hagan, Michael Howard, Ashley Jones, Patti Kuny, Kandy Lovelidge, Emily McAlpine, Aidan McCurdy, Jane Mangione, Kat Pérez, Amanda Shackelford.