Bonbonniere
1825 (made)
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This picture of a landscape when turned sideways depicts a man's face in profile. Compositions that included both natural forms and human characteristics are called anthropomorphic landscapes. Although such scenes can be found in almost every other visual medium, this example, executed in micromosaic, is unique.
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 and original 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.
On long-term loan to Los Angeles County Museum from 2010.
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 and original 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.
On long-term loan to Los Angeles County Museum from 2010.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Tortoiseshell box set with micromosaic in a brass frame |
| Brief description | Round tortoiseshell box, the cover set with a circular mosaic depicting a large rocky mountain supporting wispy foliage, two figures on a road in the foreground and on the right a smaller mountain with structures on top of it. When turned 45 degrees anti-clockwise, the image appears as a man's face, the foliage forming his hair and eyebrows. Around the border of this image is a French inscription in mosaic. |
| Physical description | Round tortoiseshell box, the cover set with a circular mosaic depicting a large rocky mountain supporting wispy foliage, two figures on a road in the foreground and on the right a smaller mountain with structures on top of it. When turned 45 degrees anti-clockwise, the image appears as a man's face, the foliage forming his hair and eyebrows. Around the border of this image is a French inscription in mosaic. |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'LE TEMPS, QUI DETRUIT TOUT DONNE A TOUT L'EXISTENCE, DES DEBRIS QUE TU VOIS J'AI RECU LA NAISSANCE (Inscribed around the rim)
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Ivano Constantini, Rome, 1975. Historical significance: The subject may have been inspired by the work of engravers Wenzel Hollar (1607-77) and Joseph Friedrich Leopold (1628-1726). |
| Historical context | Compositions of natural forms with human characteristics are known as anthropomorphic landscapes. This is apparently the only example recorded in micromosaic. |
| Summary | This picture of a landscape when turned sideways depicts a man's face in profile. Compositions that included both natural forms and human characteristics are called anthropomorphic landscapes. Although such scenes can be found in almost every other visual medium, this example, executed in micromosaic, is unique. 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 and original 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. On long-term loan to Los Angeles County Museum from 2010. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.490:1-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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