At Rome are many minor fine arts practised, which are wholly unknown in
England. The most remarkable of them is the _Mosaic Manufactory_,
carried on at the cost of government: and its fruits are theirs. The
workmen are constantly occupied in copying paintings for altarpieces,
though the works of the first masters are fast mouldering away on the
walls of forgotten churches. They will soon be lost forever; it is yet
possible to render them imperishable by means of Mosaic copies; and why
is it not done? The French, at Milan, set an example of this, by
copying, in mosaic, the _Last Supper_ of Leonardo da Vinci; but it was
their plan to do much for Milan, and nothing for Rome; and the
invaluable frescos of Michael Angelo, Raphael, Domenichino, and Guido,
were left to perish.
It takes about seven or eight years to finish a mosaic copy of a
painting of the ordinary historical size, two men being constantly
employed. It generally costs from eight to ten thousand crowns, but the
time and expense are of course regulated by the intricacy of the subject
and quantity of work. Raphael's _Transfiguration_, cost about 12,000
crowns, and the labour of nine years, ten men constantly working at it.
The late works, are, however, of very inferior execution.
The slab upon which the mosaic is made, is generally of Travertine, (or
Tiburtine) stones, connected together by iron cramps. Upon the surface
of this a mastic or cementing paste, is gradually spread, as the
progress of the work makes it wanted, which forms the adhesive ground,
or bed, on which the mosaic is laid. This mastic is composed of fine
lime from burnt marble, and finely powdered Travertine stone, mixed to
the consistence of a paste, with strong linseed oil. Into this paste are
stuck the _smalts_, of which the mosaic picture is formed. They are a
mixed species of opaque vitrified glass, partaking of the mixed nature
of stone and glass, and composed of a variety of minerals and materials,
coloured for the most part, with different metallic oxydes. Of these no
less than 1,700 different shades are in use; they are manufactured in
Rome in the form of long, slender rods like wires, of different degrees
of thickness, and are cut into pieces of the requisite sizes, from the
smallest pin point to an inch. When the picture is completely finished,
and the cement thoroughly dried, it is highly polished.
Mosaic, though an ancient art, is not merely a revived, but an improved
one; for the Romans only used coloured marbles, or natural stones in its
composition, which admitted of comparatively little variety; but the
invention of smalts has given it a far wider range, and made the
imitation of painting far closer. The mosaic work at Florence is totally
different to this, being merely inlaying in _pietre dure_, or natural
precious stones, of every variety, which forms beautiful, and very
costly imitations of shells, flowers, figures, &c. but bears no
similitude to painting.
Besides this government establishment at Rome, there are hundreds of
artists, or artisans, who carry on the manufactory of mosaics on a small
scale. Snuff-boxes, rings, necklaces, brooches, earrings, &c. are made
in immense quantity; and since the English flocked in such numbers to
Rome, all the streets leading to the Piazza di Spagna are lined with the
shops of these _Musaicisti_, &c.
Oriental shells are made at Rome into beautiful cameos, by the white
outer surface being cut away upon the deeper coloured internal part,
forming figures in minute bassi relievi. The subjects are chiefly taken
from ancient gems, and sometimes from sculpture and painting. The shells
used for this purpose are chiefly brought from the Levant; and these
shell cameos make remarkably beautiful ornaments. Hundreds of artists
also find support at Rome, in making casts, sulphurs, &c. from ancient
gems and medals, and in selling or fabricating antiques. Marble and
stone-cutting are also beautifully executed both at Rome and
Florence--_Abridged, (but interspersed) from "Rome in the 19th
Century."_
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