Then there are ancient sites next to psychodelic baroque (Chiesa di Santa Caterina and Casa Professa, to name just two mind-blowing experiences!) next to Arab-Norman style architecture, next to Liberty Style… Oh, and royal palaces! Check out these mosaic-tiled lions (pictured) in the chambers of Roger II from the 12th century. And don’t forget Castello…
Tag: mosaics
Ancient Roman Barbecue In Sicily
This mosaic scene from the Roman Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina features hunters at an altar for the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, moon, and childbirth, i.e. the Roman Diana or Greek Artemis. The Roman Villa, a UNESCO site, is better described as an ancient plantation. Scholars believe that the original owner was…
The Lions Of Palermo’s Royal Palace
The mosaics from the chambers of Roger II (Sala di Re Rogero) in the Royal Palace in Palermo are a spectacular example of Arab Norman secular design. They date to the mid 12th century, the same period that the Cappella Palatina was constructed.
The Palm Tree Represents Unification In Palermo
Artists from multiple cultural origins contributed to these mosaic designs that exist in the Cappella Palatina, the private chapel commissioned by Sicilian King Roger II (1095-1154) and completed by his heir, King William I (1120-1166). The palm tree, the central icon of this photo, has significance to many peoples, many of whom came together to…
Magnificent Monreale Cathedral, Sicily
The cloisters of Sicily’s Monreale Cathedral were built in the Arab Norman style in the early 13th century by Venetian artisans. Part of the Palermo area UNESCO site that features nine Arab Norman monuments, the cloister boasts 128 columns, all possessing different mosaic designs and many with capitols that illustrate biblical stories and episodes in…
Pan Versus Cupid: Lust Versus Love
In art, look for Pan, who personifies carnal lust, and Cupid, the god of love, fighting it out. Come on, you know your own struggle of earthly “thirst” versus divine love! At the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina in Sicily you’ll find many age-old stories, such as this one, depicted on its remarkable…
The Cloisters Of Monreale
Norman King William II, “The Good” (1153-1189), commissioned Monreale Cathedral in the late 12th century. The cloisters were built in the Arab Norman style in the early 13th century by Venetian artisans. Today, the cathedral is part of the UNESCO site that features nine Arab Norman monuments. Its cloister boasts 128 columns, all possessing different…
Sicily’s Roman Villa Illustrates Life
Fisherman are hard at work getting the fresh catch for all of your feasting the next couple of days! This image from the Roman Villa of Casale in Piazza Armerina, Sicily, a 4th century AD estate that boasts 43,055 square feet of mosaic tile floors, shows us how they did it in ancient Roman times….
Surrounded By Saints On All Saints Day
The central apse of Monreale Cathedral features the benevolent Christ Almighty surrounded by saints. All Saints Day (Ognissanti… November 1) is a day to remember saints known and unknown. Pictured around Jesus are San Biagio, San Martino, Santo Stefano, San Pietro, San Clemente, San Giacomo, San Matteo, San Damiano, and many more that are featured…
Peacocks From Roger II’s Hall In The Norman Palace
The original mosaic artwork from Sicilian King Roger II’s Hall in the Palazzo dei Normanni (12th century) in Palermo and the print copying it, created by Gioaria di Marilena Trovato. I can’t wait to hang this art in my home with the others in the set I purchased in the Norman Palace.