Necklace
ca. 1840-60 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Enamelled gold, purpurine glass and micromosaic. |
| Brief description | Necklace (matching set with 1996.1115-1116). Rome, micromosaic, gold, glass, enamel., 1850. |
| Physical description | The necklace is composed of ten oval micromosaic plaques, set in red purpurine glass and further set into frames of scrolling gold decorated with black and white enamel. All the sections are connected at the top by gold links. The necklace has been lengthened by the addition of two enamelled flower clusters and a one inch section of gold-link chain on either side of the clasp. A similarly set tear-shaped red glass pendant is suspended from the bottom plaque. Each micromosaic depicts an ancient Roman structure. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | 6. Necklace and earrings
1840-60
Micromosaics like these reflected a typical 19th-century interest in antiquity. Smaller objects depicting iconic Roman sites became popular souvenirs that visitors would bring back from their travels.
Rome, Italy; Luigi Freschi (active 1840-80)
Enamelled gold, purpurine glass and micromosaic
Museum nos. Loan:Gilbert.157 & 158-2008(17/03/2021) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Hoffman & Lowe, Beverly Hills, 1974. |
| Production | Freschi made the setting. |
| Summary | Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Gabriel, Jeanette Hanisee with contributions by Anna Maria Massinelli and essays by Judy Rudoe and Massimo Alfieri. Micromosaics: The Gilbert Collection. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. in association with The Gilbert Collection, 2000. 310 p., ill. Cat. no. 178, p. 242. ISBN 0856675113. |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.158-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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