Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Gold, Silver and Mosaics, Room 73, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Galleries

Lavinia as Flora

Picture
ca. 1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This micromosaic is a copy of Titian's painting, Girl with a bowl of fruit (about 1555). Titian's daughter Lavinia may have posed for the original.

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 2 parts.

  • Frame
  • Picture
TitleLavinia as Flora (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Glass micromosaic with gilded wood frame
Brief description
Picture depicting a Girl with a Bowl of Fruit, Lavinia as Flora, Rome, Luigi Moglia, ca.1830
Physical description
Rectangular picture in a gilt frame of a centrally-placed three-quarter view of a smiling red-haired woman with her back to the viewer. Her head is turned so that she looks to the viewer over her right shoulder. In her hands she is holding a bowl of fruit and flowers high above her head. Her clothing is a Renaissance-style gold-coloured gown with long sleeves and slashing at the shoulders. She wears a gem-set gold tiara and earrings, and a string of pearls. In the background there is drapery and a column to the left, and a mountain landscape through a window to the right.
Dimensions
  • Height: 37cm
  • Width: 30.5cm
Published catalogue dimensions
Marks and inscriptions
L[uigi].MOGLIA.F[ecit]. (signer on lower right of mosaic)
Gallery label
‘Girl with a Bowl of Fruit’ About 1830 This micromosaic is a copy of Titian’s painting, Girl with a Bowl of Fruit (about 1555). Titian’s daughter Lavinia may have posed for the original. Rome, Italy; Luigi Moglia (active 1823–78) Glass micromosaic with gilded wood frame Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.886:1, 2-2008(2009)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
This picture was hung in the home of Arthur Gilbert and his wife, Rosalinde, until they discovered an identical version by Luigi Moglia. They subsequently loaned this picture to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
It is an accurate copy of Titian's Girl with a Bowl of Fruit, or Flora, of 1555, which is in the State Museum, Berlin.

Historical significance: This picture brilliantly demonstrates the potential of micromosaic to imitate painting.
Historical context
This picture is an accurate copy of Titian's painting of 1555 Girl with a Bowl of Fruit also known as Flora (goddess of flowers) which is now in the State Museum, Berlin.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This micromosaic is a copy of Titian's painting, Girl with a bowl of fruit (about 1555). Titian's daughter Lavinia may have posed for the original.

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.
Other numbers
  • 1996.262 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • MM 109 - Arthur Gilbert Number
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.886:1,2-2008

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Record createdSeptember 15, 2008
Record URL
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