Oval micro-mosaic medallion in a black marble... Lot 31

Oval micro-mosaic medallion in a black marble surround, depicting St. Peter's Square in Rome Italy. 20th century. H_4 cm L_3 cm Micro-mosaics are Roman, Venetian and Florentine Italian pieces. The main period of production was between the end of the 18th and the end of the 19th centuries. There are two types of mosaic: classic micro-mosaics, assembled from tiny wafers cut from glass rods (smalti filati), and Florentine Pietra dura, inlaid with hard stones. An assembly of regular shapes is typical of Rome, while Venice uses a wide variety of shapes to create mosaics. These jewels began to appear outside Italy in the 18th and 19th centuries, as part of the Grand Tour, a voyage of initiation undertaken by young men (as well as collectors and art lovers) from Europe's haute-bourgeoisie. Among the studio's favorite subjects were the landscapes of Tuscany and Italy in general, ancient ruins and, of course, the great monuments of Rome and the Vatican. These pieces were also used as souvenirs to bring back from their travels. They were made by assembling small, finely-tuned glass plates (sometimes made of stone or earthenware) - tesserae. This assembly was then inserted into a black glass or onyx mount. Finally, they were set in yellow or silver gold settings. Expert: Stéphane Pepe Expert : PEPE Stephane