Mosaic

==Terminology==
[[File:Fernand Léger - Grand parade with red background (mosaic) 1958 made.jpg|thumb|[[Fernand Léger]] – Grand parade with red background, mosaic 1958 (designed 1953). [[National Gallery of Victoria]] (NGV), [[Australia]]]]
[[File:Mosaics by Wojciech Fangor in Warsaw 1963.jpg|thumb|[[Op art]] ceramic mosaics together with [[travertine]] by [[Wojciech Fangor]] in a railway station in Warsaw, Poland (1963)]]

Mosaic is an art form which uses small pieces of materials placed together to create a unified whole. The materials commonly used are marble or other stone, glass, [[pottery]], mirror or foil-backed glass, or shells.

The word ''mosaic'' is from the Italian ''mosaico'' deriving from the Latin ''mosaicus'' and ultimately from the Greek ''mouseios'' meaning ''belonging to the [[Muses]]'', hence artistic. Each piece of material is a ''[[tessera]]'' (plural: ''tesserae''). The space in between where the [[grout]] goes is an interstice. [[Andamento]] is the word used to describe the movement and flow of [[tesserae]]. The 'opus', the Latin for 'work', is the way in which the pieces are cut and placed.

Common techniques include:
* [[Opus regulatum]]: A grid; all tesserae align both vertically and horizontally.
* [[Opus tessellatum]]: Tesserae form vertical or horizontal rows, but not both.
* [[Opus vermiculatum]]: One or more lines of tesserae follow the edge of a special shape (letters or a major central graphic).
* [[Opus musivum]]: Vermiculatum extends throughout the entire background.
* Opus palladianum: Instead of forming rows, tesserae are irregularly shaped.  Also known as "crazy paving".
* [[Opus sectile]]: A major shape (e.g. heart, letter, cat) is formed by a single tessera, as later in [[pietra dura]].
* [[Opus classicum]]: When vermiculatum is combined with tessellatum or regulatum.
* [[Opus circumactum]]: Tesserae are laid in overlapping semicircles or fan shapes.
* [[Micromosaic]]: using very small tesserae, in [[Byzantine]] [[icon]]s and Italian panels for jewellery from the Renaissance on.