Pendant With an Antique Micromosaic of the Temple on the Forum Boarium, Rome, c. 1860 & later

Roman Holiday

Pendant With an Antique Micromosaic of the Temple on the Forum Boarium, Rome, c. 1860 & later

€ 1,190.00 ^*

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!

The ruins of the city of Rome are unlikely to leave anyone untouched. Even after thousands of years, the sublime buildings still convey the power and grandeur of the Roman Empire, but also remind us of the inevitable transience of all earthly splendor. Travelers who visited the Eternal City in the 19th century were particularly fond of bringing home views of the ancient legacies in the medium of the finest micromosaics as souvenirs. This piece of jewellery from the middle years of the 19th century is one such example. In a field of royal blue glass, the piece of jewellery shows a depiction of one of the most famous pieces of jewellery of Roman power. Set in fine glass tesserae, we see the circular temple built around 120 BC on the Forum Boarium, Rome's old cattle market on the banks of the Tiber. The temple, which is still well-preserved today, was a shrine to Hercules Victor, the victorious Hercules, in ancient times. In later centuries, however, it was thought to have served as a temple for the Vestal Virgins. To the right of it, behind a residential building, we also see the temple of the port god Portunus, which was attributed to the goddess Fortuna Virilis in post-antiquity. The view of the temple and the buildings surrounding it changed from time to time over the centuries. The state of the mosaic is that of the mid-19th century. An aquatint sheet created around 1820 by the British artist Regina Catherine Carey shows a very similar view, see here. A sheet like this certainly served the mosaic artist as a model for his work. A simple setting of yellow and red gold holds the highly oval depiction. The piece of jewellery was probably once a brooch. In later times, the pin was removed and a high eyelet was added so that the piece can now be worn as a pendant. This beautiful piece came to us from Thuringia.

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Around 1775, Giacomo Raffaelli and Cesare Aguatti in Rome invented a new technique for working glass into tiny mosaics, which became known as "mosaici filati" (spun mosaics). Using this technique, pieces of jewellery and small everyday objects, snuffboxes, boxes and paperweights could now also be decorated with mosaics, which had previously adorned the walls and floors of Italian churches. The most famous mosaic factories of the 18th and 19th centuries were located in Rome, especially in the Vatican, and their most beautiful and sought-after works show particular views of the city of Rome and its famous buildings. Travelers visiting the "Eternal City" wanted to take home a souvenir and bought these pieces.

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Size & Details

Roman Holiday

€ 1,190.00 ^*

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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Roman Holiday

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