Antique Micromosaic of the Roman Forum in a Gilded Silver Frame From Our Workshop

Roma Quanta Fuit, Ipsa Ruina Docet

Antique Micromosaic of the Roman Forum in a Gilded Silver Frame From Our Workshop

€ 980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

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

Roma quanta fuit, ipsa ruina docet - "How great Rome was, even its ruins bear witness to that." This quote by Francesco Albertini (1469 - after 1510), which has coagulated into a proverb, laments the decline of antiquity. From the point of view of the Italian scholar and humanist of the Renaissance, the period since the fall of the empire had brought only decay and decline - and artists, architects and writers of the early 16th century had a longing and somewhat sad sense of the treasure trove of culture, technology and knowledge that they would have to laboriously regain. But "Even its ruins bear witness to how great Rome was" - this sentence by Albertini was soon turned into irony. For with every step towards the study of antiquity, we also became aware of the cracks, tensions and shoals of this epoch. The ruins still bear witness to the Roman Empire - but perhaps not everything was as exemplary and worthy of imitation as had been assumed in the meantime? Among all the remains of that great civilization of antiquity, a few columns stand out in particular: these are the remains of the Temple of Vespasian and Titus, three columns around 15 metres high under a single piece of timberwork, which seem to have defied decay and the vicissitudes of time unimpressed for almost 2000 years. Seemingly, mind you, because we have only been able to admire the columns, as shown in this fine micromosaic, since 1811. Before that, they were almost completely buried by earth and rubble. It was only at the beginning of the new century that they were uncovered, restored and made visible again. On the left edge we can still see the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus, built in 203 AD, while the columns of the Temple of Saturn rise up on the right edge. A single column can be seen in the background. It was erected in 608 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Phocas and is the last ancient monument to be added to the Forum. But what does looking at the ruins teach us? Surely a lesson about transience, about the decline of the empire and its culture, and reverence for the way of the world. The fine, perfectly preserved mosaic was created in Rome, probably in the 1860s. Unfortunately, it came to us without a setting. Our goldsmiths have therefore added a setting to the mosaic in the style of the time. It is made of gold-plated silver and turns the mosaic into a brooch. Would you like to join us on a trip to the south?

Size & Details

Roma Quanta Fuit, Ipsa Ruina Docet

€ 980.00 ^*

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.

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Roma Quanta Fuit, Ipsa Ruina Docet

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