Object Description
A framed set of eleven micromosaic plaques of Italian monuments
Italian, 19th Century
Height 22cm, width 21.5cm, depth 2.5cm
Made during the Grand Tour, as a way for aristocratic visitors to Italy to remember the beautiful and historic monuments and locations they had seen, this item is a delightful framed collection of small oval-shaped micromosaic plaques. Crafted out of minute tesserae of glass, or enamel-like materials in later example, this set of eleven features a central image St Mark’s Square in Venice surrounded by a host of other views, depicting such buildings as the Pantheon and the Temple of Vesta in Rome, within a carved giltwood frame. As charming as they were when they were made, this piece is a superb example of the crafts of nineteenth century Italy.