Mosaics from Italy
See glass and gold come alive in shimmering mosaics
The six hexagonal mosaics in the chancel were created by the Venice and Murano Glass and Mosaic Company, founded by an unlikely figure—Antonio Salviati, a lawyer turned glassmaking revivalist. These vibrant panels, rich in colour and detail, depict scenes of Jesus’s compassion and love for humanity.
Murano, the Venetian island famous for its dazzling glass, had been Europe’s centre of luxury glassmaking since the Middle Ages. So vital was the industry that, in 1291, Venetian authorities confined glassmakers to Murano, threatening exile or even death if they shared their secrets abroad.
Salviati was passionate about reviving this fading art. Backed by British antiquarians and art lovers, he brought historic Venetian techniques back into fashion during the Victorian era, especially for grand public and religious buildings. In addition to his work at St Mary Magdalene’s with Alfred Bell, Salviati’s mosaics appear in the central lobby of the Houses of Parliament, the altar screen at Westminster Abbey, and even a reproduction of a fifth-century mosaic of Christ and sheep, now housed in the V&A. Remarkably, the company Salviati founded still operates in Venice today, preserving a centuries-old tradition that helped bring sacred spaces like this one to life.
VIEW MAP