Palazzo dei Conservatori - 2002-08-30-152702
Example of opus sectile from the Capitoline Museums

Opus sectile is a way of making decorations using precisely cut pieces of polychrome stone, usually marble, to make patterns and figures on flat surfaces.

Opus sectile was used in pavings, walls and smaller surfaces, such as tables.

The technique was very expensive and was only used in high status contexts, where polychrome mosaics and paintings weren’t adequate.

In the Villa Romana del Casale, a very rich Roman country villa in Sicily from the 4th century CE with over 3500m2 of polychrome geometric and figurative mosaics, only one room, the main audience hall where the master of the house received his guests, had a floor in opus sectile.

Photo gallery for "Opus Sectile"

There are 7 photos in this gallery.

  • Museo Archeologico Nazionale - 2002-09-13-105430
    2002-09-13-105430
  • Museo Archeologico Nazionale - 2002-09-13-105419
    2002-09-13-105419
  • Museo Archeologico Nazionale - 2002-09-13-105229
    2002-09-13-105229
  • Palazzo dei Conservatori - 2002-08-30-152710
    2002-08-30-152710
  • Palazzo dei Conservatori - 2002-08-30-152702
    2002-08-30-152702
  • Palazzo dei Conservatori - 2002-08-30-152640
    2002-08-30-152640
  • Palazzo dei Conservatori - 2002-08-30-154456
    2002-08-30-154456

Pages related to "Opus Sectile"

Pages referring to "Opus Sectile"