Friday 1 October 2010

Mosaic floor in Honan Chapel



As I was going through my photos for this weeks Thematic Photographic, which is 'Parallel', I came across these photos of the Honan Chapel's mosaic floor by Ludwig Oppenheimerin 1916.
It's a stunning work of art, my photos do not do it justice.

I love that Oppenheimer seems to pay little or no deference to the fact that it's a catholic church floor he's designing .
You are greeted at the water font by the twelve zodiac signs and then ushered up the aisle by what looks to me like a Japanese river god, but maybe it's meant to be God pouring forth life, or something!

It's been a few years since I took these photos, I'll have to go back with my camera and get the full story.
I cant remember, but I've a feeling Adam and Eve should be around somewhere.










5 comments:

Max Sartin said...

Beautiful pictures. Beautiful tile work!

Juniper said...

How bizarre to have the zodiac signs in a chapel of all places!

An amazing piece of work, thank you for posting your photos.

~Juniper~

Kalei's Best Friend said...

absolutely stunning!.. I have never seen anything like it... thanks for stopping by mine. :-)

CorvusCorax12 said...

wow what a gorgeous mosaic.

mansuetude said...

these are quite wonderful, extending thought of what should and shouldn't be in a chapel. I really love the door, and seeing water in the path makes me cringe a bit after flooding in my area last month. Even if it is symbolic.