{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O156400"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O156400/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BW3973/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BW3973/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BW3973","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3998","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O156400/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O156400","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.197-2008","objectType":"Plaque","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"These doves, known as the <i> Capitoline Doves</i> or <i>Doves of Pliny</i>, appear frequently as the subject of micromosaics.  The image comes from a Roman floor mosaic discovered in 1737 at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli, which in turn is believed to be a copy of a lost ancient Greek mosaic at Pergamon.  The original is described by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History, completed in 77AD. \r\n\r\nThe term 'micromosaic' is used to describe mosaics made of the smallest glass pieces. Some micromosaics contain more than 5000 pieces per square inch. The earliest attempts at micromosaic revealed visible joins between the pieces (known as <i>tesserae</i>) and a lack of perspective. Later artists such as Antonio Aguatti made huge advances in micromosaic technique, resulting in renderings that were truer to life. Glass micromosaic technique developed in the 18th century, in the Vatican Mosaic Workshop in Rome, where they still undertake restoration work today. \r\n\r\nSir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.  Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.","physicalDescription":"A rectangular micromosaic plaque depicting four doves sitting on the edge of a circular, gold, two-handled basin that is resting on a square plinth on a flat surface. This composition is traditionally known as the <i>Capitoline Doves</i> or the <i>Doves of Pliny</i> and is contained within a border decorated in geometric motifs. Below the bordered picture is an inscription in Latin.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mosaic glass","id":"AAT260731"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"}],"techniques":[{"text":"micromosaic","id":"x42499"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Micromosaic","categories":[{"text":"Plaques & Plaquettes","id":"THES49031"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BW3973","2008BW3998"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"72","id":"THES49722"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"plaque","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Rome","id":"x29106"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1800-25","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1825-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"14.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured 18/06/2025 IW","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"MIRABILIS IBI COLVMBA BIBENS, ET AQVAM VMBRA CAPITIS INFVSCANS. APRICANTVR ALIAE SCABENTES SESE IN CANTHARI LABRO. PLIN.LIB XXXV.CAP X.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"A marvellous dove drinking and casting the shadow of its head on the water. Other doves are pluming their feathers in the sun on the lip of a goblet.","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The inscription on the lower portion of the plaque is an incorrect reference from Book XXXVII, Chapter 184, of Pliny the Elder's  <I>Natural History</I>. Pliny the Elder was killed when Vesuvius erupted burying Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79."}],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Arthur Davidson, London.\n\nHistorical significance: This is a relatively faithful copy of the ancient floor mosaic found in Hadrian's Villa in 1737, which came to inspire a multitude of mosaic reproductions and variations.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Rectangular micromosaic plaque of the Capitoline Doves of Pliny, Rome, 1800-25.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gabriel, Jeanette Hanisee with contributions by Anna Maria Massinelli and essays by Judy Rudoe and Massimo Alfieri. <u>Micromosaics: The Gilbert Collection</u>. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. in association with The Gilbert Collection, 2000. 310 p., ill. Cat. no. 147, p. 218-19. ISBN 0856675113."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gonzalez-Palacios, Alvar and Steffi Röttgen with essays by Steffi Röttgen, Claudia Przyborowski; essays and new catalogue material translated by Alla Theodora Hall. <u>The Art of Mosaics: Selections from the Gilbert Collection</u>. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1982. 224 p., ill. Cat. no. 56. ISBN 0875871097"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Schroder, Timothy, ed. <u>The Gilbert Collection at the V&A</u>. London (V&A Publishing) 2009, p. 79, pl. 62. ISBN9781851775934"},{"reference":{"text":"Avery, Charles, assisted by Arthur Emperatori. <i>Mosaics from the Gilbert Collection: summary catalogue</i>. London : H.M.S.O., 1975","id":"AUTH355029"},"details":"109","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gonzalez-Palacios, Alvar. <u>The Art of Mosaics: Selections from the Gilbert Collection</u>, Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1977. 143 p., ill. Cat. no. 52. ISBN 0875870805."},{"reference":{"text":"<i>The Gilbert Mosaic Collection</i>, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1975","id":"AUTH355028"},"details":"51b","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Minter, Alice et al. <u>Masterpieces in Miniature: Treasures from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection.</u> London: V&A Publishing, 2021, p.82, cat.55"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"doves","id":"x30126"},{"text":"basin","id":"AAT45614"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Natural History"],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"5. Plaque with Doves of Pliny, 1800–25\r\n\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.197-2008","date":{"text":"16/11/2016","earliest":"2016-11-16","latest":"2016-11-16"}},{"text":"Plaque with Capitoline Doves\r\n1800–25\r\n\r\nThe source for this image (a mosaic found at Hadrian’s\r\nVilla in Tivoli) is believed to be a copy of a lost ancient\r\nGreek mosaic at Pergamon. The original is described by\r\nPliny the Elder in his Natural History, completed in 77 ad.\r\nThe lower part of the plaque has an inscription in Latin\r\nfrom Pliny’s text.\r\n\r\nRome, Italy\r\nGlass micromosaic\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.197-2008","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.197-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"197","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 108"},{"type":{"text":"LACMA","id":"THES57415"},"number":"M.77.1.61"},{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.261"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 2"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2025PC7808","2025PC7807","2019LU3069"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-18","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-19","availableToBook":false}}