Résumé

This article analyzes the geometric proportions of the Oceanus Mosaic, a masterpiece of roman art, and its relevance at the intersection of art, mathematics and visual communication. It focuses on the transposition of mosaic art into audiovisual language as a strategy for heritage mediation, proposing an interpretation that enables the visualization of processes within ancient algorithmic thinking, making visible the mathematical rules underlying the work.
Based on the Treatise on Architecture by Vitruvius, the study explores the principles of commensurability and symmetry, comparing the structure of the mosaic to the harmony of the human body. The analysis identifies an umbilical point from which the construction algorithm of the mosaic derives, revealing axes of symmetry, precise proportions and the symbolic orientation of the winds Boreas and Zephyrus, integrating the work into a cosmic order.
The animation “The Oceanus Mosaic,” produced within the course unit Media and Digital Art of the PhD in Media Arts, uses digital visualization resources to highlight geometric patterns and vegetal motifs which, although unique, follow the symmetrical rules of the composition. This dichotomy between mathematical rigidity and aesthetic variation illustrates the harmony between logic and creativity in Roman art, bringing it closer to contemporary concepts of generative aesthetics.
By transforming static observation into an audiovisual narrative, the animation enables the interpretation and visual reorganization of mosaic elements, making spatial, geometric and symbolic relationships difficult to identify otherwise. Audiovisual language thus emerges as an analytical instrument capable of revealing underlying structures and highlighting the ingenuity of classical culture.