By James E. Nightingale, Esq. 



117 



in the rich profusion of some of the Italian churches, the most 

 charming of all perhaps being the pillars of the cloister of St. John 

 Lateran at Rome. 



The Wilton mosaics, however, have a considerable interest from 

 their date and history being known. They originally formed part 

 of a shrine set up in 1256, in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore 

 at Rome. In the course of some alterations made there during the 

 last century, they were purchased and sent to this country by 

 Sir W. Hamilton, and remained at Strawberry Hill till Walpole's 

 collection was dispersed a few years since. 



There exist also in Westminster Abbey some mutilated remains 

 of a similar date and character, in the shrine of Edward the Con- 

 fessor, finished in 1270, and in the tomb of Henry III., who died 

 in 1272. Walpole supposes that these latter works in Westminster 

 Abbey, and possibly the mosaics now at Wilton, were made by 

 Pietro Cavallini, the well-known mosaicist and painter, and pupil 

 of Giotto ; this, however, could not have been the case, as Cavallini 

 was not born till 1259. The very interesting but dilapidated relics 

 still in Westminster Abbey, were in all probability made by Italian 

 artists. 



There is still another kind of mosaic of great antiquity — the 

 Opus Alexandrinum, ordinarily used for the pavement of churches, 

 and composed solely of the three materials — porphyry, serpentine, 

 and white or slightly coloured marble ; these are embedded in 

 grooves cut in marble slabs, allowing a white line to develope the 

 geometrical base of the pattern. 



A small but perfect example will be found in Wilton Church of 

 the Opus Alexandrinum ; it has been laid down in the pavement of 

 the entrance porch, and was brought from Italy. 



A larger piece of this kind of mosaic, but of modern Italian 

 manufacture, will be found in the pavement at the foot of the steps 

 of the chancel, between the pulpit and the reading desk. 



The use of mosaic is unquestionably one of the most beautiful as 

 well as the most enduring modes of church decoration. The variety 

 of composition is endless, from the simple square and circle to the 

 most intricate labyrinth of interlaced work ; they display almost 



