A rare Italian mosaic panel by Federico Campanili, Vatican workshop circa 1858-1864

of rectangular form depicting a baluster vase of flowers, on a plinth, with fruit and exotic birds, the reverse with the printed paper label  `Numero d'Ordine 3789, Prezzo Lire..000.=, Nome dell'Artista F.Camoanili, Rev. Fabbrica di S.Pietro in Vaticano studio del Musaico, Oggetto: Fiori (pendant)', in a giltwood and painted frame carved with  a band of acanthus in an oval reserve with an inner border of lunettes

Comparative Literature:
Domenico Petochi, I, Mosaici Minuti Romani dei secoli XVIII e XIX, date, p. 49.
Alvar Gonzalez-Palacios, Las Colleciones Reales Espagnolas de Mosaicos y Piedras Duras, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2001,  cat. 73page 309.  

An almost identical micromosaic in terms of composition is in the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, illustrated by Alvar Gonzales-Palacios, op. cit., (inv. 10012899), which is within a frame with the coat-of-arms of  Spain and Pope Leon XIII.  There is recorded in the Note dei Quadri in the Studio del Mosaico, no. 17 ` Vaso di fiori con augelli’, by the mosaicist Campanili, delivered in 1879 for the sum of 1300 lira; the inscription states Pope Leon XIII  commissioned this piece for the new Queen of Spain, Maria Cristina of Austria, who then married Don Alfonso XII.

The inventory number printed on the label on the back of the present  mosaic corresponds to the sale of a mosaic with Fiori , sold on the 21st May 1930 for It. Lires 18,000; the pendant ( which is mentioned on the label) was sold two years before (20th March 1928) for the same sum. (Source: Mosaici, Libro di Vendita, Album 1922-1930, Archivio Fabbrica di San Pietro, arm, 98, B19). Although the inventory refers to a generic Campanili, the initial F. points without any question  to  Federico Campanili, father of Licinio.

A series of contracts dated from 1858 to 1864 document the production of different mosaics with Vasi con Fiori e picchi in smalti filati, which were commissioned to Federico Campanili, and these records help us date the present still life accordingly.   

( We are indebted to Dr. Daniele Pergolizi, Responsabile dell' Ufficio della Comunicazione della Basilica di San pietro, Rome,  for having provided this information from the Vatican Archives).

This mosaic, as well as the one in the Prado, could well be based on the original still lives painted by the Ferrarese painter, active in Rome, Alessandro Mantovani (1814-1892). In the Nota dei quadri, there is also an entry which says : 'un quadro con fiori e augelli del Mantovani eseguito da Campanili....costo 2418.75...in vendita a 2.500'.
On 10^th December 1891, two copies of the Mantovani painting  are recorded as reproduced `in smaller proportions ....… representing a crystal tazza with fruit’' as on the present example.

The Vatican Workshop:
In the early years of the the 19th century in Rome there are recorded twenty private workshops around the Spanish steps. During the occupation, Napoleon promoted the art of mosaics by converting the Vatican Workshop into the Studio Imperiale del Mosaico.  

Federico Campanili:
Federico Campanili was active in the second half of the 19^th century. He is recorded as being active from 1861 to 1880 in the Vatican Workshop in Rome. furthermore, he is recorded as mosacista in stile minuto. Circa 1861-62, he  made the mosaic la ghirlanda di fiori nel dejeuner con la Veduta del Tempio di Vesta,  from the design by Antonio Roccheggiani . In 1863 –64 he made a picture representing  un vaso di fiori  after a painting by Andrea Cherubini.  In 1880 he was nominated mosaicista soprannumero .