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Lot Essay
Giacomo Sirletti was born in Rome in 1755. He initially trained and worked as a gem-engraver and gained his licence in 1803. He subsequently opened a shop at via S. Silvestro o Convertite no. 3 in 1811 and he entered two marks as a silversmith in the same year. He worked up until his death in 1837. (C. G. Bulgari, Argentieri, Gemmari e Orafi d'Italia, Rome, vol. 11, pp. 415-416). A further example of his work is in the Victoria & Albert Museum (inv. no. 938:1, 2-1882).
Butterflies were a popular subject for artists working in micromosaics and several examples have been sold by Christie's in recent years. These have included one from The Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann Collection, Christie's, London, 11 April 2002, lot 894, and one from The Property of Diana Keggie, Christie's, South Kensington, 30 November 2005, lot 136. For a similar micromosaic by Giacomo Raffaelli who specialised in depicting butterflies and other animals, see D. Petochi, I mosaici minuti Romani, Florence, 1981, p. 111, pl. 33.
Butterflies were a popular subject for artists working in micromosaics and several examples have been sold by Christie's in recent years. These have included one from The Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann Collection, Christie's, London, 11 April 2002, lot 894, and one from The Property of Diana Keggie, Christie's, South Kensington, 30 November 2005, lot 136. For a similar micromosaic by Giacomo Raffaelli who specialised in depicting butterflies and other animals, see D. Petochi, I mosaici minuti Romani, Florence, 1981, p. 111, pl. 33.