Saturday, February 18, 2012

Mastery of Design: The Dame Joan Evans Micromosaic Brooch, 1820 - 1830

Brooch of silver and micromosaic
Rome, C. 1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum



In the Nineteenth Century, works of micromosaic were most closely associated with Italian craftsmen.  Panels of these intricate mosaics were popular souvenirs brought back by travelers to Rome.

This brooch from the collection of Dame Joan Evans was made from such a panel which was brought from Rome to England.  The panel consists of minute pieces of colored glass arranged on a surface of mastic or cement using tweezers. Set in a silver-gilt filigree, the mosaic depicts a bird, possibly a pheasant. The silver-gilt resembles spirals of string string, almost like a bird’s nest.








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