Necklace
1810 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
These fine mosaic landscapes show how subtle and painterly an effect could be achieved with glass tesserae. The scenes are in the style of Claude Lorraine (1600-82), and the central panel is based on his painting Landscape with the Father of Psyche Sacrificing to Apollo.
The term 'micromosaic' is used to describe mosaics made of the smallest glass pieces. Some micromosaics contain more than 5000 pieces per square inch. The earliest attempts at micromosaic revealed visible joins between the pieces (known as tesserae) and a lack of perspective. Later artists such as Antonio Aguatti made huge advances in micromosaic technique, resulting in renderings that were truer to life. Glass micromosaic technique developed in the 18th century, in the Vatican Mosaic Workshop in Rome, where they still undertake restoration work today.
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.
The term 'micromosaic' is used to describe mosaics made of the smallest glass pieces. Some micromosaics contain more than 5000 pieces per square inch. The earliest attempts at micromosaic revealed visible joins between the pieces (known as tesserae) and a lack of perspective. Later artists such as Antonio Aguatti made huge advances in micromosaic technique, resulting in renderings that were truer to life. Glass micromosaic technique developed in the 18th century, in the Vatican Mosaic Workshop in Rome, where they still undertake restoration work today.
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
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Mosaics, cut blue glass, and moulded gold. |
Brief description | Necklace of ten micromosaics of landscapes, attributed to Antonio Aguatti, Rome ca.1810. |
Physical description | Necklace composed of nine oval Roman mosaic plaques with landscapes of the Campagna and one of a spaniel on the clasp, all are set in blue glass and mounted in plain gold filets. |
Dimensions |
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Gallery label | 5. Necklace with landscapes
About 1810
Rome, Italy; central panel inspired by Claude Lorraine, Landscape with the Father of Psyche Sacrificing to Apollo (1662–63)
Glass micromosaic set in blue glass, and gold
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.156:1-2008(16/11/2016) |
Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Object history | Provenance: Hancocks and Co., London, 1974. |
Summary | These fine mosaic landscapes show how subtle and painterly an effect could be achieved with glass tesserae. The scenes are in the style of Claude Lorraine (1600-82), and the central panel is based on his painting Landscape with the Father of Psyche Sacrificing to Apollo. The term 'micromosaic' is used to describe mosaics made of the smallest glass pieces. Some micromosaics contain more than 5000 pieces per square inch. The earliest attempts at micromosaic revealed visible joins between the pieces (known as tesserae) and a lack of perspective. Later artists such as Antonio Aguatti made huge advances in micromosaic technique, resulting in renderings that were truer to life. Glass micromosaic technique developed in the 18th century, in the Vatican Mosaic Workshop in Rome, where they still undertake restoration work today. 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 references |
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Other numbers |
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Collection | |
Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.156:1, 2-2008 |
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Record created | June 26, 2008 |
Record URL |
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