Not on display

Table

ca. 1825 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Rome (made)

Baskets of flowers were a popular motif in 19th-century micromosaics. The particular flowers on this tabletop derived from an ancient Roman floor mosaic at the Museo Pio Clementino in the Vatican.

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
Table
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Tabletop
  • Table Base
Materials and techniques
Micromosaic and carved gilt wood
Mosaic Glass
Wood
Gold
Micromosaic
Carving
Gilding
Brief description
Table with micromosaic basket of flowers, Rome, ca.1825
Physical description
Round tabletop with a central square reserve depiciting a basket of flowers on a flat surface surrounded by a larger circular area of white ground with stylised acanthus scrolls and double red outer band. The wide border is decorated with interlaced blue and yellow ribbons around a single green vine with leaves and fruit on a black background. The carved and gilt base has aprons on each side consisting of two horns of plenty meeting in the centre, and four curved legs, carved at the top with rosettes and acanthus and ending in scroll feet.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 81.3cm
  • Height: 71cm
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: Desmond Thomas, London, 01/03/1971.
Summary
Baskets of flowers were a popular motif in 19th-century micromosaics. The particular flowers on this tabletop derived from an ancient Roman floor mosaic at the Museo Pio Clementino in the Vatican.

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
  • Cramer, R. The Gilbert Collection: Classic Rock and Scroll. Los Angeles, 1977, vol. 22, no. 4, p. 90.
  • Alfieri, Massimo, Maria Grazia Branchetti and Guido Cornini. Mosaici Minuti Romani del 700 et dell'800. Exhibition catalogue. Rome: Edizioni del mosaico, 1986, fig. 11, p. 52.
  • Gabriel, Jeanette Hanisee with contributions by Anna Maria Massinelli and essays by Judy Rudoe and Massimo Alfieri. Micromosaics: The Gilbert Collection. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. in association with The Gilbert Collection, 2000. 310 p., ill. Cat. no. 70, p. 132. ISBN 0856675113.
Other numbers
  • MM 67 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • MM 19 - Arthur Gilbert Number
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.1062:1-2008

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Record createdJune 26, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157703/table-unknown/
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