32 - Oval-shaped micromosaic depicting a shepherd with a dog and a goat. Set into a black marble plaque edged with a malachite border. Wooden frame with gilded stucco.

Oval-shaped micromosaic depicting a shepherd with a dog and a goat. Set into a black marble plaque edged with a malachite border. Wooden frame with gilded stucco. 13.4 x 20.9 cm (frame: 32 x 39 cm) Note: While Rome’s monuments are the most famous subjects of Italian micromosaics, Roman workshops also developed a repertoire of pastoral scenes inspired by the Latium countryside. Shepherds, flocks, domestic animals, and bucolic landscapes allowed mosaic artists to rival miniature painting by using a wide range of enamel shades to render the details of figures and animal coats. These pastoral compositions, prized for their picturesque quality, are an integral part of the history of Grand Tour souvenirs. This scene, depicting a shepherd accompanied by a dog and a goat, exemplifies this naturalistic style of Roman micromosaic.