Plaque
1800-1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This plaque exemplifies the technical skill artists such as Antonio Aguatti brought to the technique of micromosaic. The work is made up of some of the smallest tesserae known, rendering a highly naturalistic image.
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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Micromosaic and gilt frame |
| Brief description | Micromosaic within a gilt frame, Rome, 1800-1840, by Antonio Aguatti. |
| Physical description | Round micromosaic plaque with a depiction of a recumbent leopard with its head on the viewer's right and its front paws crossed. The leopard is situated beneath an overhanging rock, with pieces of foliage projecting from below. The mosaic is signed on the lower right and is within a round gilt frame. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Signed 'Aguatti' for Antonio Aguatti |
| Gallery label | 11. Plaque with leopard
1800–40
Rome, Italy; signed by Antonio Aguatti (died 1846)
Glass micromosaic
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.202:1-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Graus Antiques, London, 1975. Historical significance: The leopard's tiny ears suggest that the image may be taken from paintings of small-eared leopards by George Stubbs (1724-1806). |
| Historical context | The tesserae used are amongst the smallest recorded and demonstrate the quality of Aguatti's work. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This plaque exemplifies the technical skill artists such as Antonio Aguatti brought to the technique of micromosaic. The work is made up of some of the smallest tesserae known, rendering a highly naturalistic image. 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. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.202:1 to 4-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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