Bonbonnière
1812-17 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This charming box, in the shape of a book, was probably made as a souvenir. It depicts the famous mosaic, The Capitoline Doves. The mosaic, discovered in 1737 in the Emperor Hadrian's villa at Tivoli dates from the 2nd century AD. It was a popular representation in micromosaic in the 18th and 19th centuries. The box was produced in Paris and the mosaic in Rome.
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.
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 | Micromosaic, tortoiseshell, gold, wood and silver. |
| Brief description | Micromosaic, tortoiseshell, gold, wood, Rome and France, 1800-25 |
| Physical description | A box shaped like a book with a rectangular, gold-framed micromosaic on the hinged lid depicting four doves perched on the edge of a basin of water. The spine has five narrow, regularly spaced bands of gold with an oval gold plaque between the top two, engraved DE L'ESPRIT, and a shield-shaped gold plaque with the initials RF between the second and third bands. The interior is lined with tortoiseshell. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | 4. Bonbonnière in the form of a book, with Doves of Pliny, 1812–17
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.947-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: James Robinson, New York, 1974. |
| Production | Maker's mark J.D. Dehanne (active 1812-17). |
| Summary | This charming box, in the shape of a book, was probably made as a souvenir. It depicts the famous mosaic, The Capitoline Doves. The mosaic, discovered in 1737 in the Emperor Hadrian's villa at Tivoli dates from the 2nd century AD. It was a popular representation in micromosaic in the 18th and 19th centuries. The box was produced in Paris and the mosaic in Rome. 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. |
| 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. 122, p. 191. ISBN 0856675113. |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.947-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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