Lover Messenger

Romantic Silver Brooch with Micromosai, Rome c. 1880

€ 329.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Romantic Silver Brooch with Micromosai, Rome c. 1880

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Doves have been present in European iconography since the origins of civilization. We encounter them on ancient mosaics as birds of Venus, the ancient goddess of love. Christianity venerates them as messengers of peace and the Holy Spirit. In Victorian England, they were regarded as love birds, as it was assumed that these lovingly beaked birds would remain faithful to each other for life. In the 1980s, the dove returned as a symbol of peace. Here, a Roman mosaicist has captured the friendly feathered creature in fine glass tesserae for eternity. Against a black background, we see a white-feathered specimen in a tondo that forms the center of a staff brooch. The dove sits on a bed of forget-me-not flowers, which further enhances its romantic aura. To the left and right of the dove, lilies and other smaller white flowers are set against a sky-blue background, also using the mosaic technique, with the ends of the brooch shaped as trefoils. The simple silver frame frames the beautiful scene and a pin makes it wearable as a brooch. The piece of jewelry was created in Rome around 1880 and was probably a souvenir from the Eternal City.

Learn more

The origin of the art of micromosaic lies in Rome. Here, in the Vatican to be precise, a workshop for mosaics made of glass stones had existed since the 16th century. Initially, it was used to permanently protect the altarpieces in St. Peter's Basilica against candle soot, moisture and dirt brought into the church by the many pilgrims. Later, after this task had been completed, copies of paintings and landscape depictions in painting size were created. The idea of using this ultimately antique technique for jewelry and the decoration of decorative arts came about at the end of the 18th century. As part of the Grand Tour, countless travelers from northern Europe arrived in the city and created a great demand for souvenirs. Not least to serve this market, a completely new art form was created: micromosaics are small and portable and were therefore particularly suitable to be taken back home to the north. As they also usually depict the beauties of Rome or motifs from antiquity, their success as travel souvenirs is hardly surprising. The "invention" of the micromosaic is primarily associated with Giacomo Raffaelli and Cesare Aguatti, who perfected this technique around 1775. They established a tradition from which, until the end of the 19th century, mosaics were created with such a wealth of detail and artistry that had never been achieved before or since. Even today, similar mosaics are still produced in Rome, albeit of a much lower quality. Cf. the relevant literature on the technique and history of micromosaics: Maria Grazia Branchetti: Mosaici minuti romani, Rome 2004, with many works by Giacomo Raffaelli, and Roberto Grieco/Arianna Gambino: Roman Mosaic. L'arte del micromosaico fra '700 e '800, Milan 2001.

Learn more

Size & Details

Lover Messenger

€ 329.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

Learn more

Lover Messenger

Brooches & Pins

Privacy settings