When I saw these masks I was fascinated by them. A collection of Roman masks, I'm not sure if they were all from the same origin, preserved in the "Corning Glass Museum" in the state of New York, USA, and dating back to 25 BC. These striking works of art depict several characters from famous Greco-Roman comedies.
It involves a maenad, a satyr, Brothel Keeper, Hathor and other gods and creatures.
I repainted, restoring them with flat, saturated colors and clear outlines. The original pieces already suggested a modern style, similar to Andy Warhol's colorful faces. That's why, when restoring and reinterpreting them, I opted for flat, saturated colors.
The incredible thing is that these figures, dating back to 25 BC, were created on glass mosaic tiles, measuring 1.5 x 3.5 cm, with the millefiori technique, the same as the Venetian glass masters. An incredible fine detailed masterpieces.
The process was as follows: several micro filaments of colored glass were assembled, aggregating them to form contours and solid shapes in a block, which was then subjected to high temperatures and pressure. The filaments merged, forming a long cylinder block which, in section, contained the finished image. The slices of this cylinder, once cut, produced a series of identical tiles.
This is the same artisanal technique used for the production of Venetian murrine. To obtain a perfectly symmetrical result, the tiles portrayed only half of the mask, so that, once reversed, the entire image was formed.
Once redesigned I composed a sort of vertical exhibition tapestry.
Below is the gallery with the original pieces
Storia e tecnica del millefiori
Follow me for updates or contact me on the socials