Portrait of Demeter
Details
Polychrome Stone Tesserae
2024
Handcrafted by Mounir Habib
12 inches (30 cm)
Description
Demeter, Ancient Greek God of the harvest, is adorned with a golden, thorny crown and necklace, her brown hair thick and curly and lips full. The black stones accentuate her long eyelashes. She wears a golden and brown colored rope and glances to her right. Demeter was depicted as a mature woman, responsible for sustaining humankind with the earth’s rich bounty of grain, bread, and agriculture.
In ancient mythology, Demeter’s daughter Persephone is kidnapped by Hades, god of the dead and king of the underworld, who wished to have her as his young wife. Demeter’s grief brings darkness to the earth for the first time, winter arrives. Without her harvest, plants wither and die as snow engulfs the land.
Worried of the inevitable starvation, Zeus, God of the sky and thunder, brokered a deal where Perspephone would live on earth for six months of the year with Demeter, who would come out of her depression and tend to the harvest, but was bound to the underworld for the rest of the year, throwing Demeter back into mourning. And thus formed the seasons.
Details
Polychrome Stone Tesserae
2024
Handcrafted by Mounir Habib
12 inches (30 cm)
Description
Demeter, Ancient Greek God of the harvest, is adorned with a golden, thorny crown and necklace, her brown hair thick and curly and lips full. The black stones accentuate her long eyelashes. She wears a golden and brown colored rope and glances to her right. Demeter was depicted as a mature woman, responsible for sustaining humankind with the earth’s rich bounty of grain, bread, and agriculture.
In ancient mythology, Demeter’s daughter Persephone is kidnapped by Hades, god of the dead and king of the underworld, who wished to have her as his young wife. Demeter’s grief brings darkness to the earth for the first time, winter arrives. Without her harvest, plants wither and die as snow engulfs the land.
Worried of the inevitable starvation, Zeus, God of the sky and thunder, brokered a deal where Perspephone would live on earth for six months of the year with Demeter, who would come out of her depression and tend to the harvest, but was bound to the underworld for the rest of the year, throwing Demeter back into mourning. And thus formed the seasons.
Details
Polychrome Stone Tesserae
2024
Handcrafted by Mounir Habib
12 inches (30 cm)
Description
Demeter, Ancient Greek God of the harvest, is adorned with a golden, thorny crown and necklace, her brown hair thick and curly and lips full. The black stones accentuate her long eyelashes. She wears a golden and brown colored rope and glances to her right. Demeter was depicted as a mature woman, responsible for sustaining humankind with the earth’s rich bounty of grain, bread, and agriculture.
In ancient mythology, Demeter’s daughter Persephone is kidnapped by Hades, god of the dead and king of the underworld, who wished to have her as his young wife. Demeter’s grief brings darkness to the earth for the first time, winter arrives. Without her harvest, plants wither and die as snow engulfs the land.
Worried of the inevitable starvation, Zeus, God of the sky and thunder, brokered a deal where Perspephone would live on earth for six months of the year with Demeter, who would come out of her depression and tend to the harvest, but was bound to the underworld for the rest of the year, throwing Demeter back into mourning. And thus formed the seasons.
Creation
Mosaic‑making has a lineage spanning thousands of years. Early civilizations created stone tapestries to adorn homes, honor culture, and impress guests. Antico Contempo brings this tradition into the modern day, utilizing ancient techniques in both restored and contemporary designs.
Each mosaic begins with research into historic patterns, materials, and techniques to capture their cultural and visual language. We reimagine these compositions for a modern setting while honoring their original spirit. In collaboration with mosaic artists, historians, and designers, we create works that unite antique and contemporary sensibilities, rich with color and emotion.
The process starts with natural stone like marble, granite, limestone, onyx, and travertine—never colored or dyed. Hand‑cut into tesserae, every piece is arranged with patience, artistry, and mastery of ancient craft. After weeks, months, or even years of meticulous craftsmanship, each mosaic is completed with a refined frame, ready for effortless display.
