Birds with Foliage c. late 4th - mid 5th century
anonymous
minneapolisinstituteofart
architecture
natural stone pattern
abstract expressionism
rippled sketch texture
naturalistic pattern
abstract painting
possibly oil pastel
fluid art
paint stroke
wooden texture
organic texture
architecture
"Birds with Foliage" is a Late Antique mosaic, dating from the late 4th to mid 5th century, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The intricate pattern features stylized birds and leaves, crafted from small tesserae in tones of brown, beige, and cream. The mosaic's design, with its focus on natural forms, reflects the growing influence of early Christian art, which incorporated naturalistic motifs to symbolize the beauty and order of God's creation.
Comments
Scrolls of vine and acanthus leaves enclosing human or animal forms, called rinceaux, were frequently used in the borders of large mosaic compositions. The rinceaux in this mosaic segment include birds, symbolizing the soul, and pomegranates, referring to the annual return of spring and therefore the Christian hope in immortality and resurrection.
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