Mosaic is the technique of creating pictures or patterns through numerous tiles, rocks, or other colored objects. Some mosaics depict pictorial scenes and stories. Other mosaics are geometric patterns. Mosaics can be constructed by adhering individual tiles directly to its final surface, or arranged in sections on a temporary surface before being transferred. The latter method is more typical with larger mosaic projects. The tiles can be arranged in a geometric grid, an offset horizontal or vertical arrangement, or created entirely out of irregular size and shaped objects.
Mosaic dates back at least to the time of ancient Mesopotamia, making it one of civilization's oldest art forms. The ancient Greeks used mosaic widely, particularly in their Italian colonies. When these colonies became independent and later part of the growing Roman Republic, the art form flourished. When the Roman Empire split, mosaic was somewhat more popular in the Eastern Empire, a split reflected in the later bisection of the Christian Church. Simultaneously, the art of mosaic was maintained in the Middle East and exploded with the spread of Islam. Since Islam forbade the depiction of religious figures in art, mosaic's ability to create beautiful, abstract geometric patterns made it a favored form. In the West, mosaics gradually grew scarce as fresco was introduced.
Fresco is the technique of applying paint to plaster. Fresco comes from the Italian "affresco," meaning "fresh." Fresco can be made by applying pigment to wet plaster, an especially difficult technique because the drying plaster imposes a time deadline on the fresco artist. Another technique involves applying the pigment to dry plaster and then coating the painted surface with a binding agent. Some works combined the techniques, since certain colored pigments tended to look better in the other approach.
Fresco is believed to have originated as early as ancient Minoan Crete. A difficulty with historical research into fresco is its fragility. Compared to mosaic it is much less durable. However, early frescoes are found throughout the ancient Greek world and Buddhist India. Fresco flourished in medieval Europe and was a frequent medium for Renaissance masters like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Eventually, the richer, more flexible medium of oil painting superseded fresco.