In yesterday’s post we pondered about learning to look at the urban environment surrounding us to discover new things. Let’s continue the thread with a post about micro-mosaics and in particular jewellery made with this technique to train our eyes (usually more used to spot Instagrammable things rather than fine details…) to spot micro-details.
A superb example of a craftsman's skill, these mosaics were made with small - or rather tiny - oblong (rather than square) tesserae of glass, or in an enamel-like material (especially those ones made in Italy in later years).
The technique was employed to make small figures and museum collections preserve examples of ancient Roman micro-mosaics and Byzantine religious icons (usually dating from 1300 to 1450, so the Late Byzantine period). Byzantine examples, which are very rare, were usually framed and therefore used as portable paintings.
Micro-mosaics became popular in the Renaissance when they started being made in Italy. Rome was the centre of production and among the micro-mosaics collectors there were also Pope Paul II and Lorenzo de' Medici.
The technique became even more popular with the Grand Tour period (17th-19th century). Members of wealthy European families travelled through Europe and Italy was a popular spot for them. Tourists would purchase micro-mosaics featuring scenes portraying Italian landmarks such as the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica, or panels inspired by Roman mythology and wear them on their journey. At times, these panels were sent back home as if they were postcards to family and friends or they were given to artisans that could set them into pieces of furniture, vases, small accessories such as snuffboxes and jewellery. Historical sources say that the first micro-mosaics exhibition was organised in Rome in 1775 by Giacomo Raffaelli.
When multi-coloured tesserae started being produced, the artists refined their skills, imitating actual brushstrokes in mosaics, turning micro-mosaics into perfect replicas of large paintings, and mimicking a painters' technique. One of the most fascinating things about micro-mosaics is that the tesserae were so precise that the joints were imperceptible. You really need to inspect these pieces closely to detect the tiny tesserae.
As the years passed, the level of skill attained by artisans making micro-mosaics became impressive and they were able to perfectly reproduce even hair and fur. Clemente Ciuli, a famous micro-mosaic artist who had a workshop in Piazza di Spagna, Rome, became known for his minute mosaics inspired by statues that looked like chiaroscuro drawings (his head of Jupiter, with his head of intricate hair and majestic beard entered history).
It is not rare to spot micro-mosaic jewellery in museum collections (the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Galleries at the V&A in London preserve some beautiful micro-mosaic objects) or at auctions.
A great example is the 19th century micro-mosaic and gold parure featured in this post (pictures 3 to 5). Comprising a brooch, a pair of pendant earrings and a necklace, the parure features micro-mosaic medallions on black glass background depicting views of Antique Rome (Saint Peter's square, the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Temple of Venus, the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Vesta and the Pantheon). The parure is currently part of a Fine Jewels auction at Sotheby's. As its starting bid - €6,000 - is not for us mere mortals, just try and learn more about this techniques and get inspired by it to create tiny details in your designs. Fashion-wise Gianni Versace's 1991 and 1997 collections were inspired by the glittering micro-mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, so you will be in good company if you opt to go for a micro-mosaics-inspired fashion collection.
Comments