The annular plaque embellished with a micro mosaic depicting a butterfly in profile with its wings closed, upon a cream-coloured tesserae background, signed 'Giacomo Raffaelli Fece Roma 1787'. 6.9cm in diameter, 0.2cm depth

Note:
Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire remain a source of endless inspiration and their influence can be felt and seen throughout Western civilisation, not least in the art world and never as prolifically as during the Neo-Classical movement of the late 18th Century. As an iconic element within the imagery of Ancient architecture, mosaics were an obvious point of gravitation for Classicists. The fruits of their studies led to the desire for miniature representations of the ancient technique and so the micro-mosaic was born. The scenes in these plaques (that were applied to decorative objects such as tobacco boxes, or furniture and fireplaces) were often allegorical in nature using classical symbolism and most often around the subject of love - romantic or familial.