MicromosaicsThe art of mosaics is of ancient origin, enjoying its first great period during the Roman Empire and its second in eighteenth and nineteenth century Rome, when a flourishing craft developed in response to the Grand Tour. Affluent tourists provided the ideal market for views of Rome and images from Ancient History and mythology, painstakingly worked in tesserae - minute pieces of coloured enamel - a technique known as 'micromosaics.' Some of these were so intricate that one square inch could contain as many as 1,500 tesserae. The range of objects was enormous - from jewellery and snuffboxes to large pictures and tabletops. All of these forms and subjects are comprehensively represented in the Gilbert Collection. This book examine the collection through full-colour illustrations and detailed descriptions and commentaries. New research into the workshops and business practices of two significant Roman mosaicists derived from the archives of the Vatican Mosaic Workshops is detailed in an essay by Massimo Alfieri, while Judy Rudoe explores the techniques and materials of small-scale Roman micromosaic objects, illustrated with spectacular magnified photography. |
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Alfieri ancient Angeles antique arch artist Atlanta Avery and Emperatori Bartolomeo Pinelli Basilica black marble border catalogue central Christie's circular Ciuli Colosseum colour COMMENTARY composition copied cover set decorated DESCRIPTION Difederico Efimova eighteenth century enamel executed EXHIBITIONS figures flowers Giacomo Raffaelli Gilbert Collection Gilbert mosaic gilt glass gold González González-Palacios and Röttgen ground Hadrian's Villa Hanisee hardstone Hermitage Hermitage Museum Italy jewellery landscape lapis lazuli LITERATURE London micro micromosaic micromosaic depicting millefiori miniature Moglia Moroni mosaic depicting mosaicists motifs Museum Napoleon NOTE oval Paestum painting Palacios Paris Peter's Peter's Basilica Petersburg Petochi picture Pius VII plaque Pope Pope Pius VII portrait private collection PROVENANCE purpurine rectangular Roman Roman Forum Rome ruins Russian San Antonio scene scrolls Seattle Sibyl smalti SNUFFBOX Sotheby's square studio tabletop Temple Temple of Vesta tesserae Tivoli tortoiseshell Truman vase Vatican Mosaic Workshop Wekler