31 - Rectangular micro-mosaic depicting the Pantheon in Rome. Set into a black marble plaque edged with a malachite border.

Rectangular micro-mosaic depicting the Pantheon in Rome. Set into a black marble plaque edged with a malachite border. 31.7 x 37.4 cm Note: The Pantheon in Rome, built under Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century, is one of the best-preserved ancient monuments in the Eternal City. Its famous dome, long considered an unsurpassed feat of Roman architecture, made it an essential stop on the Grand Tour, the educational journey undertaken by European elites in the 18th and 19th centuries. Roman workshops subsequently developed a significant production of micromosaics depicting the monuments of the Italian capital, intended for an international clientele of travelers and collectors. These refined souvenirs, sometimes set into black marble plaques, bear witness to the European fascination with antiquity and Italian decorative arts.