{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O157677"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157677/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O157677","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.224:1-2008","objectType":"Picture","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Micromosaics have their roots in the larger mosaics of ancient Rome used to decorate their walls and floors. The first micromosaics were created in the 18th century, but it was not until Arthur Gilbert himself became interested in collecting them and invented the term 'micromosaics' that they became known as such. The tesserae are minute pieces cut from thin pieces of glass known as smalti filati, and some of the finest micomosaics can consist of as many as 5,000 tesserae per square inch (ca. 3 by 3cm). By the late 18th century Rome had become central to the production of micromosaics and sold them as souvenirs to wealthy foreigners visiting the city. From small elegant snuffboxes to large monumental tabletops, micromosaics could be used to decorate objects of all shapes and sizes. They could even be made to resemble full-sized canvas paintings, and indeed Arthur Gilbert himself mistook his very first micromosaic for a painting. When he brought it home to show his wife, he had to convince her that it was not in fact a cracked painting, as she supposed, but a mosaic.\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":"Large oval mosaic depicting a bust length Madonna facing the viewer, her eyes turned down and her hands held together in prayer. She wears a red gown, a blue robe and has a gold headscarf. The mosaic is surrounded by an oval gilt frame.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lomonosov, Michael","id":"A22436"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mosaic glass","id":"AAT260731"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"mosaic","id":"AAT138684"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"framing","id":"AAT240903"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Micromosaic and gilt wooden frame","categories":[{"text":"Mosaic","id":"THES253095"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342881"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342881"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"picture","id":""}],[{"text":"frame","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"St Petersburg","id":"x29178"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1750","earliest":"1745-01-01","latest":"1754-12-31"},"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":"Height","value":"63.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"49.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Antonnacci-Efrati, Rome, 1969.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oval mosaic depiction of Madonna, prob. St Petersburg, attributed to Michael V Lomonosov, ca.1750.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Sherman, Anthony C. <u>The Gilbert Mosaic Collection</u>. Edited by M. Barbara Scheibel. West Haven, Connecticut: Pendulum Press, 1971, pp. 20-21, colour plate IV"},{"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. 12.  ISBN 0875870805."},{"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. 12. ISBN 0875871097"},{"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. 2, p. 52. ISBN 0856675113."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.224:1-2008","LOAN:GILBERT.224:2-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"224","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 23"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 2"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","picture","frame"],"assets":["2019MF3199"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-19","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-26","availableToBook":false}}