Fan, micromosaic and painted parchment, Rome, 1790-1820

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. The 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.

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.