Object Description
Mid 19th century (circa 1860) Italian micromosaic plaque of the Doves of Pliny or The Capitoline Doves, framed within an oval gilt slip and ebonised wooden frame.
This micromosaic plaque of The Doves of Pliny or Capitoline Doves consists of four doves resting on the edge of a two-handled gold basin, this resting on a marble square, within black background of polished slate.
Paper label to the reverse with handwritten words as follows:
THE DOVES OF PLINY
ITALIAN CIRCA 1860
PURCHASED MIAMI $ PNFR
FEB. 96
This image originates from a Roman floor mosaic discovered in 1737 during excavations at Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, now in the Capitoline Museum, believed to be a copy of a lost ancient Greek mosaic at Pergamon by the Greek artist Sosus, the original is described by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History completed in 77AD as ‘one dove drinking, the others sunning themselves’.
The term micromosaic describes mosaics made from very small glass pieces or tesserae, later The Vatican Mosaic Workshops developed an opaque enamel tesserae called ‘smalti’ to their own secret formula.
This example possibly originates from the Vatican Micromosiac Workshops who produced many of these sought after micromosaics in the 18th and 19th centuries, their work being of the finest of qualities and popular with the Grand Tour collectors, The Doves of Pliny or Capitoline Doves often appear as the subject of micromosaics.
Reference: a few examples of micromosaics of the Doves of Pliny can be found in the book ‘The Gilbert Collection ‘Micromosaics’’ by Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel.
This micromosaic is in very good condition for age and can go straight into a home or collection.
Size:
Height: 7.5’’ / 19cm
Width: 8.5’’ / 21.5cm
Width: 1.5’’ / 4cm