Sa'id Pasha's Palace, Mex (Alexandria)

Mohamed Sa'id Pasha was Egypt's Viceroy from 1854 until his death in 1863. He was educated in Paris and he began the development of the Suez Canal. In addition to the Qasr al Nil, his grand palace in Cairo, Sa'id Pasha built a palace on the old (or west) Alexandria harbor at Mex  (or Meks, Maks, or Al-Maqs). Unlike Sa'id's other Alexandrian palace at Gabari, the one at Mex was never finished.

The floor and walls of the palace's saloon were decorated with Salviati mosaics, which were ordered in 1860 at the cost of about 250,000 francs. Unfortunately, by 1878 the palace was a "bulbous ruin".

The abandoned palace compound at Mex, 1870.

Illustration of the entry gate at Mex palace.

Map of Alexandria from 1908. Meks is on the lower left.

Sources:
Salviati, Antonio. On Mosaics (generally). Leeds, 1865. 42.
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 132.
Salviati, Antonio. Les manufactures Salviati & Cie à Venise et Murano. Mosaïques, verres Paris, 1867. 15.
Rogers, Edward Thomas. "The Land of Egypt." The Art Journal. London: D. Appleton & Company. 5. 1879. 68-70. 
Lane-Poole, Stanley. Social Life in Egypt: A Description of a Country and Its People. 5. New York: P.F. Collier, 1884. 117-120.
Allatson, Wendy. Egypt.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. 546.
Burton, Richard Francis. The gold-mines of Midian and the ruined Midianite cities. London: C. Kegan Paul & Co. 1878. 4.
Wikipedia 
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Grace Church, New York

The church was founded in 1818, but James Renwick, Jr. designed the current, early Gothic Revival building that was began in 1843 and consecrated in 1846.

The carved marble reredos contains a central Venetian mosaic panel of the Savior's Ascension with Christ surrounded by his eight disciples, while two apostles in individual arcades flank either side.

Renwick also designed the reredos, which was carved by English sculptors Ellin and Kitson in 1878. Clayton and Bell, as well as Henry Holiday also made stained glass for the church.

The chancel floor is marble mosaic also by Salviati, Burke and Company showing three angels with emblems of the Crucifixion.

Sources:
The Churchman. Vol. 40. Nov. 22, 1879. 580.
Wikipedia
Grace Church 
MuseumPlanet on Panoramio
Panoramio
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St. John the Baptist, Bathwick

This church was built 1861-62 by C.E. Giles, and it was soon enlarged with the addition of a large, south aisle in 1870 by Arthur Blomfield.

Salviati made the mosaic reredos of the "Nativity" above the high altar.

The mosaic flooring of the High Altar, Lady Chapel and Baptistery from 1879 is also by Salviati.

The designs include the sea, net and fishes, as well as the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The floor of the high altar.

Sources:
Bathwick Parishes
St. John's Bathwick
History, St. John the Baptist
Tim Barrett's flickr Photostream
Major, S.D. Notabilia of Bath, a handbook to the city and district. Bath: E.R. Blackett, 1879. 72.

Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara

Built 1878-90 by Major Charles Mant and Robert Fellowes Chisolm (who took over for Mant in 1881 after his death) for H.H. Maharaja Gaikwar, parts of this building remain the residence of the ruling family of India's Baroda State. It is also open as a tourist attraction to the public.

The grand Darbar Hall (measuring 92 feet long by 54 feet wide by 48 feet high, on the left of the above picture) - used for concerts or other cultural events - contains a total of 8,000 square feet of Salviati mosaics on wall decorations, as well as the marble flooring, which took twelve men eighteen months to set.

The window arches are decorated with golden floral motifs. A local Indian draftsman named Mr. Hasjee may have been responsible for the designs, which were interpreted by the Venetian mosaicists.

Several life-sized, mosaic figures of women adorn the palace's entrance on the exterior of Darbar Hall.

 

An outdoor mosaic (approximately 15 feet high and 12 feet wide) features a bridal scene with Christian overtones, including an angel.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Art Fact
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Guide, 2008. 126.
Mosaic Atlas
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Journal, Vol. 3, 1896. 426.
Special thanks to Richard Davis for his pictures, as well as first-hand information regarding these lovely mosaics.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Roscommon

Irish architects Walter Glynn Doolin and Patrick J. Kilgallin designed this church that was begun in 1897 and opened in 1903.

The east-facing facade contains Salviati mosaics including one showing local bishop Laurence Gillooly (holding a map) on the tympanum above the main door. The others depict the Martyrdom of St. Laurence, St. Vincent de Paul and the Sacred Heart.

The sanctuary walls are covered by mosaic angels and the Evangelists. Between the windows, figures of the founding fathers of most of the major European religious orders can be seen.

The floor of the church is also paved in mosaics.

Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 138.
The Ecclesiastical Heritage of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, 32-33.
joekennedy52's flickr Photostream
VMontalbano's flickr Photostream
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Church of St. Michael and Peter Antwerp

Known locally as Sint Michiel en Petruskerk, this church was built 1893-97 after a Romanesque Revival design by Belgian architect Frans van Dijk.

The interior contains mosaic decoration by Salviati designed by Henry Redig.

The half-dome of the apse portrays an enthroned Christ surrounded by his Apostles.

Saint Peter

Saint Michael

Sources:
Wikipedia
Wikimedia Commons
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 133.

St. Christopher's Chapel in the Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street Hospital is a children's hospital that famously received the rights to J.M. Barrie's play Peter Pan in 1929. Its chapel was designed by E.M. Barry and built 1871-76. It was moved to its present location in 1992 and reopened in 1994 by Diana, Princess of Wales.

The mosaic floor in the entrance is by Salviati and is said to be modeled after that of St. Mark's in Venice.

Sources:
Lunnon, Raymond J. The Chapel of St Christopher. NHS Booklet. London: GOS Trust, 2002. Available as a pdf file. Web. 16 February 2012.
British Listed Buildings
Victorian Web
johnevigar's flickr Photostream