Luigi Pellarin and Ubach, precursors of modernist mosaic

Abstract

During the 19th century there was a gradual recovery of mosaics as a decorative technique. This process begins with the archaeological interest aroused by the Roman pavements discovered in excavations of classical origin and, in the second half of the 19th century, the discovery and revaluation of the Romanesque mosaics that covered the floors of medieval churches. This factor will be decisive in Catalonia, to give prestige to the mosaic as a decorative technique and adopt a nationalist character. In Barcelona, two figures very little documented, Josep Ubach and Luigi Pellarin will be responsible for introducing the modern mosaic to the city and laying the foundations for what it represented mosaically in modernism. In this period the continuous mosaic called the Venetian style stands out, which will disappear at the beginning of the 20th century, but which will be the previous step to the creation of Roman-style floor mosaics during the Art Nouveau period.