{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O156601"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O156601/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BW3408/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BW3408/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BW3408","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CP2602","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3410","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3409","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3407","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KR7878","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O156601/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O156601","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.155-2008","objectType":"Fan","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The fan depicts the tomb of Cecilia Metella, fourth wife of the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sylla (r. 82-79 BC), which was one of the sights along the Appian Way. The theme of love is explored through the mosaic amorini and doves on the mounts, encircled by trailing roses, pansies and strands of wheat.\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 tesserae) 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 semi-circular fan of painted parchment or vellum with a central kidney-shaped reserve containing a picture of a tomb and a landscape between two vertical panels with birds and arabesques, the top and lower borders with leafy vines and scrolls on a blue ground, and the extreme top edge with a narrow gilt border. There are three oval mosaic subjects on the outer stick or guard.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"parchment","id":"AAT11851"},{"text":"mosaic glass","id":"AAT260731"},{"text":"gilt metal","id":"x35080"},{"text":"hardstones","id":"x38513"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted parchment, vellum, bone,  brass and leather","categories":[{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BW3408","2009CP2602","2008BW3410","2008BW3409","2008BW3407","2018KR7878"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES403968"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"fan","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Rome","id":"x29106"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1790-1820","earliest":"1790-01-01","latest":"1820-12-31"},"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":"Length","value":"17.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"With Graus Antiques, London, 1977\n\nHistorical significance: The tomb of Cecilia Metella, a favourite Roman heroine, was frequently depicted in Roman Art and is featured on a large Gilbert hardstone picture displayed in the Study Area of Gallery 72 (LOAN:GILBERT.77:1,2-2008 and in a micromosaic on the cover of a bonbonniere.","historicalContext":"The mosaics on the fan sticks show doves, the attributes of Venus, Goddess of Love and amorini riding goats, holding a garland signifying Spring and a harp, a reference to dance and music.","briefDescription":"Fan with scene of Tomb of Cecilia Metella, Rome. Micromosaic, hardstone, painted parchment , 1790-1820.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gonzalez-Palacios, Alvar and Röttgen. <u>Il tempio del gusto:  Roma e il Regno delle Due Sicilie: le arte decorative in Italia fra classicismi e barocco</u>.  2 vols. Milan: Longanesi, c1984, no. 31."},{"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. 193, p. 257. 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. 31. ISBN 0875871097"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Tomb of Cecilia Metella","id":"x44169"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"3. Fan with tomb of Cecilia Metella, 1790–1820\r\n\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.155-2008","date":{"text":"16/11/2016","earliest":"2016-11-16","latest":"2016-11-16"}},{"text":"Fan with tomb of Cecilia Metella\r\n1790–1820\r\n\r\nThe fan depicts the tomb of Cecilia Metella, fourth wife of the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sylla (ruled 82–79 BC). The tomb, with its frieze of stylised oxen skulls, was one of the most impressive sights along the Appian Way in Rome. The theme of love is explored through the mosaic cupids and doves on the mounts, encircled by trailing roses, pansies and strands of wheat.\r\n\r\nRome, Italy\r\nPainted parchment with glass micromosaic mounts, gilded metal and hardstones\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.155-2008","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.155-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"155","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 261"},{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.63"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 297"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN8971","2019LU7305","2019LU1153"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-12","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-19","availableToBook":false}}