Mosaic Floor Panel Depicting Marine Life
200-230
Medium
Stone and mortar
Dimensions
39.4 × 85.7 × 6.4 cm (15 1/2 × 33 3/4 × 2 1/2 in.)
Classification
mosaic
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23276
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Fish was a luxury food among the Romans. Mosaics depicting marine life were especially popular in and around Antioch (near modern Antakya, Turkey), an ancient city located on the Orontes River that was known for the beauty of its waters. This mosaic, which was discovered in a house in Daphne (modern Harbiye), a prosperous garden town near Antioch, depicts several species of fish and shellfish. The representation of these sea creatures was likely intended to convey a message about the owner’s wea...
About the Artist
Ancient Roman
The artists attributed to "Ancient Roman" in museum collections represent the anonymous craftsmen who produced the vast output of sculpture, frescoes, mosaics, and reliefs defining Roman visual culture from the Republic (c. 509–27 BCE) to the late Empire (c. 395 CE). Individual identities remain elusive, as Roman makers were typically viewed as skilled tradesmen—often enslaved Greeks or provincial...