tech
Divine art: Inside the Vatican's Mosaic Studio
St. Peter's Basilica is the biggest (and for Catholics, the most sacred) church in the world. Its artworks, like Michelangelo's Pieta, have been known to make peasants and popes weep. Everywhere you turn, you may think you're gazing up at paintings.
TL;DR
- Most artworks in St. Peter's Basilica are mosaics, not paintings, due to their longevity.
- Mosaics are made from thousands of colored fragments, often glass and gold.
- The Vatican's mosaic workshop uses ancient tools and techniques, some dating back 2,000 years.
- The 'filament technique' involves using fire to melt glass colors and create new shades.
- The archive of St. Peter's, led by Simona Turriziani, contains early records and blueprints of mosaics.
- Michelangelo's letter from 1562, preserved in the archive, shows his dedication to St. Peter's.
- Mosaic portraits of popes are created for installation, and mosaic landscapes are gifted to visiting U.S. presidents.
- Workers describe the mosaic art as eternally amazing and heavenly when pieced together.