A Rare signed 19th C. Italian Micromosaic Plaque of a Sheep Pastoral Scene, Vatican Studio.
This rectangular Italian micromosaic plaque depicts a pastoral landscape with a shepherdess tending a flock of sheep along a winding path bordered by a grove of tall trees. A small dog stands beside the flock, while distant hills and an open meadow extend across the background beneath a pale sky. The composition is executed in minute glass tesserae arranged in subtle gradations of green, brown, blue, cream, and white to define the landscape, foliage, figures, and animals. The shepherdess wears a white blouse with a blue skirt and red apron, providing a focal point within the natural setting. The plaque is housed in a molded giltwood frame with a broad inner molding and an outer border carved with alternating spiral bands and rounded bosses. The scene is signed in the lower right corner, and the closely set tesserae create smooth transitions throughout the composition.
The plaque was produced by the Vatican Studio and bears its original paper label on the reverse reading Rev. Fabbrica S. Pietro in Vaticano, Studio del Mosaico...
Category
Italian Rococo Antique 1850s Decorative Art