Small rectangular mosaic depicting a river with a gnarled tree on the left bank and a female figure on the right. In the background is a mountainous landscape with a town or ruins. The use of thinner curved tesserae for the leaves and varying shaped tesserae for the sky provide a depth of texture suggesting an identifiable style. In the lower right corner is the signature A. Although the identity of the signature has not been firmly established, it may possibly be the work of Antonio Aguatti (d.1846)

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.