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Why did mosaic artists apply mortar in small daily patches?
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mosaic
Mosaic floor fragment from a synagogue or church, cut stone with mortar from Israel, late 5th–6th century ce; in the Jewish Museum, New York City.
Mosaic artists applied mortar in small daily patches to ensure the setting bed remained moist and workable while the tesserae were being placed. This practice, which is also fundamental to fresco painting, allowed the artist to complete a specific section of the work before the plaster dried and hardened.1