Snuffbox
1823-1825 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
It is likely that this box originally had another cover, replaced at a later date by this micromosaic. The image represents the burnt out interior of St Pauls Outside the Walls, in Rome. The fire started during repairs to the roof in 1823. Pope Leo XII called for contributions from all over the world to restore the damage. The Church was rebuilt in 1854.
Micromosaics have their roots in the larger mosaics of ancient Rome used to decorate their walls and floors. The first micromosaics were created in the 18th century, but it was not until Arthur Gilbert himself became interested in collecting them and invented the term 'micromosaics' that they became known as such. The tesserae are minute pieces cut from thin pieces of glass known as smalti filati, and some of the finest micomosaics can consist of as many as 5,000 tesserae per square inch (ca. 3 by 3cm). By the late 18th century Rome had become central to the production of micromosaics and sold them as souvenirs to wealthy foreigners visiting the city. From small elegant snuffboxes to large monumental tabletops, micromosaics could be used to decorate objects of all shapes and sizes. They could even be made to resemble full-sized canvas paintings, and indeed Arthur Gilbert himself mistook his very first micromosaic for a painting. When he brought it home to show his wife, he had to convince her that it was not in fact a cracked painting, as she supposed, but a mosaic.
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.
Micromosaics have their roots in the larger mosaics of ancient Rome used to decorate their walls and floors. The first micromosaics were created in the 18th century, but it was not until Arthur Gilbert himself became interested in collecting them and invented the term 'micromosaics' that they became known as such. The tesserae are minute pieces cut from thin pieces of glass known as smalti filati, and some of the finest micomosaics can consist of as many as 5,000 tesserae per square inch (ca. 3 by 3cm). By the late 18th century Rome had become central to the production of micromosaics and sold them as souvenirs to wealthy foreigners visiting the city. From small elegant snuffboxes to large monumental tabletops, micromosaics could be used to decorate objects of all shapes and sizes. They could even be made to resemble full-sized canvas paintings, and indeed Arthur Gilbert himself mistook his very first micromosaic for a painting. When he brought it home to show his wife, he had to convince her that it was not in fact a cracked painting, as she supposed, but a mosaic.
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 | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Enamel, mosaic, tooled red leather and brass |
Brief description | Gold, enamel and micromosaic snuffbox, Rome, 1823-5, Pierre-André Montauban |
Physical description | A rectangular box, the top set with a micromosaic depicting the burned-out interior of St. Paul's Basilica, Rome. The view is from the entry looking toward the altar. There are rows of columns on the right and left, and the roof is missing. In the upper left are several round portaits of popes. The border of the cover is blue enamel chased with gold scrolling, flowers and foliage. With a tooled red leather case with brass hinges and clasps. |
Dimensions |
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Gallery label | 3. Snuffbox, 1809–19, with St Paul’s Outside the Walls, Rome, about 1825
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.475:1-2008(16/11/2016) |
Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Object history | Provenance: Bulgari, Rome. |
Subjects depicted | |
Places depicted | |
Summary | It is likely that this box originally had another cover, replaced at a later date by this micromosaic. The image represents the burnt out interior of St Pauls Outside the Walls, in Rome. The fire started during repairs to the roof in 1823. Pope Leo XII called for contributions from all over the world to restore the damage. The Church was rebuilt in 1854. Micromosaics have their roots in the larger mosaics of ancient Rome used to decorate their walls and floors. The first micromosaics were created in the 18th century, but it was not until Arthur Gilbert himself became interested in collecting them and invented the term 'micromosaics' that they became known as such. The tesserae are minute pieces cut from thin pieces of glass known as smalti filati, and some of the finest micomosaics can consist of as many as 5,000 tesserae per square inch (ca. 3 by 3cm). By the late 18th century Rome had become central to the production of micromosaics and sold them as souvenirs to wealthy foreigners visiting the city. From small elegant snuffboxes to large monumental tabletops, micromosaics could be used to decorate objects of all shapes and sizes. They could even be made to resemble full-sized canvas paintings, and indeed Arthur Gilbert himself mistook his very first micromosaic for a painting. When he brought it home to show his wife, he had to convince her that it was not in fact a cracked painting, as she supposed, but a mosaic. 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 number | MIN 73 - Arthur Gilbert Number |
Collection | |
Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.475:1, 2-2008 |
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Record created | June 26, 2008 |
Record URL |
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