BY GIOACCHINO BARBERI (1783-1857), SIGNED 'BARBERI' (LOWER RIGHT), ROME, CIRCA 1820

Gioacchino Barberi (1783-1857) who worked in Rome at 99 Piazza de Spagna, near the Spanish steps, was recorded in 1847 by G. Moroni (Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica, Venice, 1847, XLVII, pp. 79-80) as one of the leading artists of miniature micromosaics. His father Paolo Emilio, was a painter and his uncle, Cavaliere Michelangelo, was another famous micromosaic artist. Gioacchino is credited with the use of black enamel smalti which he used for backgrounds, a device taken from wall paintings at Herculaneum.