Roman Tile Floors

As I walked around Rome I took pictures of floors, not just because the patterns are fascinating, but because they are easy to photograph in the limited light inside churches. I loved the floors in Venice five years ago and thought I had a great idea for a quilt. But of course I've been scooped by several books and by Jinny Beyer, who did a quilt based on the central mosaic in St. Mark's. I learned on this trip that the makers tore marble from the Roman buildings and statues to make these floors. I also thought a lot about a Roman color scheme: terra cotta, rust, peach, blue (for the sky), and neutral cream or grey. This photograph is a very dull version. Trust me, the bright terra cotta of the building and the greyed turquoise of the shutters is a stunning combination.


All of this is going in the memory banks, perhaps to be retrieved some day.