Antiques M.S. Rau | Micromosaic Snuff Box

This Exceptional Micromosaic Snuff Box Represents The Heights Of This Ancient Art Form. Depicting Four Doves Sitting Atop A Bronze Dish, The Inset Micromosaic Captures One Of The Most Famous And Highly Desirable Classical Motifs. Known As Pliny’S Doves, The Design Comes From A Roman Floor Mosaic At Hadrian’S Villa In Tivoli, Which Is Believed To Be A Copy Of A Lost Ancient Greek Mosaic At Pergamon That Pliny Describes In His Natural History. Here, The Popular Image Is Intricately Rendered From Hundreds Of Tiny Glass And Ceramic Tiles Known As Tesserae, Each Piece Perfectly Matched For Color, Size And Placement. The Plaque Is Mounted Within A Gilt Bronze And Ebonized Wood Box.

Strongly Evocative Of Classical Antiquity And The Monumental Decorative Mosaics Of Ancient Greece And Rome, Micromosaics Were Composed Of Small Pieces Of Glass And Precious Stone. The Craft Flourished In Rome Throughout The Nineteenth Century, Largely Driven By The Influx Of Wealthy Tourists On The Grand Tour Seeking Luxurious Souvenirs To Send Home. One Of The Most Demanding Ventures Undertaken By Early 19Th-Century Artisans, These Pieces Are Rare Treasures Today.

Early 19Th Century

3 1/8″ Wide X 2 1/4″ Deep X 1″ High