an micromosaic circular table top italy, third quarter 19th century

the center with the dove of Pliny within a band of lapis lazulis, surrounded by eight views of Rome depicting ancient Roman monuments; within a Greek fret tromp l'oeil border on a later carved giltwood triparite base.

The central medallion of this micromosaic marble top derives from the Capitoline Museum's celebrated Hadrian's Villa marble mosaic dating from the 2nd century BC and attributed to Sosos. Discovered in 1737, the Roman author Pliny in his Naturalis Historia described the panel as: "A dove drinking, and darkening the water with the shadow of her head, on the lip of the vessel are other doves pluming themselves." This medaillon is now commonly known as The Pliny's Doves.