History of Mosaic

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Learn about the origins and development of Mosaic, the first popular web browser.

Early history of mosaic art: This includes the origins of mosaic art, the cultures that first used it, and the early techniques used to create mosaic designs.
Classical Greek and Roman mosaic art: This includes the use of mosaics in ancient Greek and Roman art, including their decorative and narrative purposes.
Byzantine mosaic art: Byzantine mosaics, with their intricate designs and lavish use of gold, are an iconic representation of the era. This topic will explore the various themes, designs and techniques used in Byzantine art.
Islamic mosaic art: This explores the role of mosaics in Islamic culture, including the use of geometric patterns, calligraphy, and floral designs.
Medieval and Renaissance mosaic art: During this period, mosaic art continued to flourish and evolve. This topic will cover the development of techniques used in medieval and renaissance art-styles, such as the detailed perspective of landscapes and the introduction of new materials like glass.
Mosaic art in the modern era: Modern artists continue to experiment with mosaic art, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with the medium. This topic discusses the evolution of mosaic art and contemporary practices and trends.
Materials and techniques used in creating a mosaic: This includes the materials traditionally used in mosaic-making such as tesserae, as well as the tools and techniques used to create a mosaic.
The role of mosaics in architecture: Mosaic art has been widely used to decorate buildings and public spaces. This topic delves into the architectural features integrated into mosaic art, the design influence and the symbolism behind the designs themselves.
Mosaic art in different cultures: The use of mosaic art is not limited to Western cultures: This topic will explore how different cultures use mosaics in their wedding traditions, religious ceremonies and in architecture.
The preservation of mosaic art: This topic focuses on the conservation efforts carried out by institutions and individuals to prolong the life and vibrancy of priceless mosaics, protecting them for future generations to appreciate.
Ancient Mosaics: This refers to the earliest forms of mosaic art, dating back to the Mesopotamian and Greek civilizations. The ancient Romans also used mosaics to decorate their buildings.
Byzantine Mosaics: These are intricate, decorative mosaics found in churches and other religious buildings from the Byzantine Empire. They often depict religious scenes and figures.
Islamic Mosaics: These mosaics are commonly found in Islamic architecture and art. They are made up of geometric shapes and intricate patterns.
Renaissance Mosaics: During the Renaissance period in Europe, mosaics were used to embellish buildings and artwork. They were known for their elaborate designs and use of color.
Modern Mosaics: This refers to contemporary art pieces created using mosaic techniques. These can range from abstract designs to more traditional forms.
Community Mosaics: These mosaics are created by groups or communities, often as a way of celebrating cultural heritage or as a way of beautifying public spaces.
Personal Mosaics: These are mosaics created by individuals, often as a hobby or as a way of creating art for oneself or as a gift for others.
Commercial Mosaics: These mosaics are produced commercially and used to decorate floors, walls, and other surfaces in public and private buildings.
"NCSA Mosaic is a discontinued web browser, and one of the first to be widely available. It was instrumental in popularizing the World Wide Web and the general Internet by integrating multimedia such as text and graphics."
"It was named for its support of multiple Internet protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol, File Transfer Protocol, Network News Transfer Protocol, and Gopher."
"Its intuitive interface, reliability, personal computer support, and simple installation all contributed to its popularity within the web."
"Mosaic is the first browser to display images inline with text instead of in a separate window."
"Mosaic was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign beginning in late 1992."
"NCSA released it in 1993."
"NCSA officially discontinued development and support on January 7, 1997."
"From late 1994, Mosaic lost market share to Netscape Navigator and only had a tiny fraction of users left by 1997 when the project was discontinued."
"Microsoft licensed one of the derivative commercial products, Spyglass Mosaic, to create Internet Explorer in 1995."
"[Mosaic was] one of the first [browsers] to be widely available... by integrating multimedia such as text and graphics."
"Its intuitive interface... all contributed to its popularity within the web."
"Mosaic is the first browser to display images inline with text instead of in a separate window."
"Mosaic was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign."
"NCSA released it in 1993."
"NCSA officially discontinued development and support on January 7, 1997."
"From late 1994, Mosaic lost market share to Netscape Navigator."
"[Mosaic] only had a tiny fraction of users left by 1997 when the project was discontinued."
"Microsoft licensed one of the derivative commercial products, Spyglass Mosaic, to create Internet Explorer in 1995."
"Its intuitive interface, reliability, personal computer support, and simple installation all contributed to its popularity within the web."
"[Mosaic] was preceded by WorldWideWeb, the lesser-known Erwise, and ViolaWWW."