Lot Essay
The technique of the miniature mosaic developed in Rome in the 16th Century and was, of course, a continuation of antique art, and was subsequently adopted by Byzantine mosaicists. The Vatican Mosaic workshop was established in 1576 for the embellishment of St. Peter's and very soon the city of Rome became renowned for this technique throughout Europe, in particular for copies of the great Renaissance and Baroque paintings, intended for the Vatican basilica, and that, in Vasari's words, 'appear at a distance as genuine and beautiful pictures'. Originally the technique was based on the use of true marbles, but at the beginning of the 18th Century, inspired by a Venetian method, small pieces of coloured glass or smalti filati were used to form the image.
These mosaics appeared at the great trade exhibitions in Europe in the second half of the 18th Century and a contributor to the Illustrated Exhibitor, writing on Italian works of art at the Great Exhibition in 1851 states 'Rome, once the mistress of the world, is mainly represented at the Exhibition by specimens of sculpture, cameo, and mosaic work, for which she has long been celebrated'. (Alvar Gonzalez-Palacios and Steffi Röttgen, The Art of Mosaics, Slections from the Gilbert Collection, Los Angeles, 1982)
Two related micro-mosaics of the Colosseum were sold anonymously at Sotheby's London, one 26 may 1995, lot 30, the other 28 february 1997, lot 213. A further related example was sold anonymously at Christie's London, 16 June 1994, lot 165.
See illustration
These mosaics appeared at the great trade exhibitions in Europe in the second half of the 18th Century and a contributor to the Illustrated Exhibitor, writing on Italian works of art at the Great Exhibition in 1851 states 'Rome, once the mistress of the world, is mainly represented at the Exhibition by specimens of sculpture, cameo, and mosaic work, for which she has long been celebrated'. (Alvar Gonzalez-Palacios and Steffi Röttgen, The Art of Mosaics, Slections from the Gilbert Collection, Los Angeles, 1982)
Two related micro-mosaics of the Colosseum were sold anonymously at Sotheby's London, one 26 may 1995, lot 30, the other 28 february 1997, lot 213. A further related example was sold anonymously at Christie's London, 16 June 1994, lot 165.
See illustration