During the Byzantine Empire, mosaicists crafted stunning wall decorations using tesserae—small, hand-cut pieces of glass, stone, or ceramic. To maximize the reflective quality of these mosaics, artisans did not press the tesserae flat into the damp plaster. Instead, they set the pieces at slight, irregular angles. This uneven mounting allowed the individual tesserae to catch and reflect candlelight and daylight from various viewpoints, creating a shimmering, dynamic effect that shifted as viewers walked through the cathedral. Gold tesserae, in particular, were created by sandwiching a thin layer of gold leaf between two layers of clear glass, protecting the precious metal from tarnishing.
According to the text, which statement is true about the gold tesserae used in Byzantine mosaics?
- AThey were pressed flat into the plaster to prevent the gold leaf from peeling away.
- BThey were used in greater quantities than stone or ceramic tesserae because of their superior reflective properties.
- They featured a layer of gold leaf positioned between two pieces of clear glass to keep the metal from tarnishing.Answer
- DThey were reserved exclusively for lining the highest domes of cathedrals where daylight was strongest.