The third volume in the Hidden Treasures series launched in 2018 with the Farnese Cup examines another undoubted masterpiece: The Alexander Mosaic.
It is certainly one of the great attractions for visitors who everyday
throng the rooms of the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.


The
mosaic is made up of over one and a half million tesserae, arranged
asymmetrically using the opus vermiculatum technique, which allows the
figures to be outlined to make them stand out against the background.


Luigi
Spina gets his camera in close to the crush of men and animals to bring
out all the stunning detail in the expressions, gestures, and poses
that the viewer often overlooks when taking in the scene as a whole.
Eyes wide open and alert, loose reins, flying whips, but also unwonted
finery: sumptuous fabrics, precious ornaments, and elaborately coiffed
manes.


Essays by Valeria Sampaolo and Fausto Zevi close the book,
placing the floor mosaic in its context and highlighting its
extraordinary nature within the panorama of ancient art.

Text by: Paolo Giulierini, Fausto Zevi, Valeria Sampaolo