Cosmatesque

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A style characterized by intricate mosaic work that incorporates a variety of materials and patterns
2. featuring detailed geometric designs that often include floral or abstract elements
3. embodying a unique decorative approach rooted in classical influences which can be seen in architecture and flooring

Etymology: The Cosmati were a family of Roman marble workers, active from the late twelfth to the thirteenth century, whose name became attached to a distinctive style of inlaid decoration. Their floors and church fittings combined small pieces of coloured marble, porphyry and glass cut into geometric patterns, set into white marble bands. The family name, "Cosmati" in Italian, is the root of this adjective. The word is formed by adding the suffix "-esque", meaning "in the manner of", to the Italian surname. So "cosmatesque" describes anything in the manner of the Cosmati's work: dense, geometric, multicoloured inlay, often applied to floors, tombs and altar screens. The suffix is the same one found in "Romanesque" and "picturesque", which likewise turn a name or noun into a style description.