Two brothers create replica of 47ft Roman mosaic

Two brothers, Bob and John Woodward, have taken over ten years to complete a replica of the largest Roman mosaic found in England.

Over 1,000,000 pieces were required to complete this Orpheus mosaic:

www.dailymail.co.uk...

The mosaic depicts the the ancient Greek music master Orpheus and lyre resting on his left knee, his hunting dog alongside him and a myriad of beasts all around him.
The animals include a tiger, leopard, lion, elephant, bear, gryphon, stag, horse, wild boar and birds such as pheasants, peacocks and doves.
A pair of water nymphs are depicted in each spandrel.
The work is currently on display at Prinknash Abbey, near Stroud, but the lease has come to an end and its owner - who does not wish to be identified - has decided to sell.
Iona Sale, who is publicising the event for auctioneers Chorley's, said it had been challenging putting an estimated sale price on the mosaic - because no-one had ever attempted such a feat before.

Here is the original mosaic:


Here is the completed replica:

Bob Woodward turned from builder into research scholar as he tried to discover what the missing parts must have looked like.
The earliest report he found dated back to 1693, when Celtic scholar Edward Llwyd recorded having seen ‘birds and beasts on the floor’.
He conducted careful research into other Orpheus mosaics to help replace the missing sections as accurately as possible, particularly the Barton Farm mosaic at Cirencester which had several similar beasts.

What a wonderful project this is. I am actually envious that I could never do such a thing. I would have so enjoyed it.

On this site you can see it in 3D. Use you mouse to scroll over it and use your keyboard to zoom in and out:
www.bbc.co.uk...

In case anyone's interested - details of how to buy it. Umm... I'll put in a couple of quid to start us off

blog.antique-marks.com...



[edit on 31-3-2010 by berenike]

Here's An Orpheus mosaic at Tzippori (Sepphoris). This is a lovely article, click on 'thumbnails' to see some beautiful pictures:
public.fotki.com...





The Orpheus mosaic at Littlecote in England. Another interesting site with many pictures:
www.stoa.org...
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1af27bc69298.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3c09143f8b52.jpg[/atsimg]

And here is the sad story of Orpheus:
www.mythweb.com...



[edit on 31-3-2010 by berenike]

That's one beautiful piece of work. I would encourage everyone to check out the 3D view on the link provided, it truly gives you the scope of this achievement.

That is so neat, almost a perfect replica complete with 12 zodiac critters. Love to hear the complete story behind this.

Edit that looks like Ulam's spiral in the mozaic? prime numbers?




[edit on 9-4-2010 by Bordon81]

Off topic 116468447

[edit on 9-4-2010 by Bordon81]

reply to post by berenike


Wow very kool

Can I has one too?

It is magnificent!

reply to post by berenike
Nice mosaics, I'm a fan of art and drawing and appreciate the skills and layers of processes behind mosaic design and creation. It's a hugely complicated process. Here's a couple more for the thread...they are all from Pompeii..



I like this one, but it's like the artist hadn't seen a skull before...it's got ears?! It's like the dolphins outside George's Hall in Liverpool.

Memento Mori

EDit to ask if anyone else had to find out wtf a 'spandrel' is?






[edit on 10-4-2010 by Kandinsky]

lovely!

anyone else notice the copious amount of swastikas?

meh, maybe i noticed because i just watched a show about the fall of nazism in germany.

reply to post by Tentickles
Just cos Berenike reads the Daily Mail doesn't make him a Nazi Do you mean around the edges? They look sorta swastikaesque...I think they're just a design style. I thought square spirals?

Here are some samples of Greek Key patterns:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6069809ada09.jpg[/atsimg]

My knowledge of Ancient Greeks and Romans is far from comprehensive, but I don't think they had heard of Nazis.

Kandinsky - You, of all people, should have recognised that skull as Annunaki


Qhickfix - here's one just for you. It's a gazelle in a medallion, 1st-2nd century, found in Tunis:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/adc0999911ea.jpg[/atsimg]

Bordon81 - I'd never heard of Ulam's Spiral. Just so you know, I'm going to blame you for the headache it gave me looking into it You might find this thread interesting, if you haven't come across it before:
www.abovetopsecret.com...


[edit on 10-4-2010 by berenike]