A LARGE ITALIAN MICROMOSAIC FLORAL OVAL PANEL, ROME CIRCA 1870

Dr Al Berman, Spring Valley, New York, 1971.

Gilbert Collection, Permanent Display, Somerset House, London, 2000-2007.

C. Avery, assisted by Arthur Emperatori, Mosaics from the Gilbert Collection: summary catalogue, ex. cat., Victoria & Albert Museum. London, 1975, cat. no. 29, p.5.

J. H. Gabriel, with contributions by Anna Maria Massinelli and essays by Judy Rudoe and Massimo Alfieri, Micromosaics: The Gilbert Collection, London, 2000, cat. no. 94, p. 162.

A. González-Palacios, and Steffi Röttgen with essays by Steffi Röttgen, Claudia Przyborowski; essays and new catalogue material translated by Alla Theodora Hall, The Art of Mosaics: Selections from the Gilbert Collection, Los Angeles, 1982, cat. no. 99., p.204.

When describing this panel, the renowned micromosaics expert Jeannette Gabriel wrote in the Gilbert catalogue, "One does not often find floral still-life mosaics of this size and complexity of execution." The size of the present panel is indeed rare and its visual quality, emulating oil paintings, is a remarkable achievement. The same author, referring to floral still life panels, states that "their naturalistic execution would have been among the most difficult challenges for a mosaicist" (Gabriel, 2016, p.65). The best Roman mosaicists such as Barberi workshop and particularly Federico Campanili, distinguished themselves in this particular genre. 

An almost identical panel was sold Christie's New York, 19 October 2011, lot 28 ($86,500). Another close example of smaller scale sold Christie's London, 24 May 2018, lot 661 (£25,000).