Pendant With Micromosaic of the Capitol, Rome 1850s and Later

If ancient Rome was once considered the center of the world, the Capitol was undoubtedly the center of the Eternal City. The smallest of Rome's seven hills had a very special significance in history. On its summit stood the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the supreme god of Rome. Emperors sacrificed there and victorious armies offered the weapons of their defeated enemies here on their triumphal procession. The present pendant shows this historically significant place as a fine micromosaic. In a view from the west, we see Piazza Campidoglio in its present form, conceived by none other than Michelangelo. With the redesign of the square, which was clearly neglected during the Middle Ages, the most famous artist of the Renaissance created his urban masterpiece. Michelangelo redesigned the Roman town hall at the center of the site in the years beginning in 1536 and created identical facades for the two medieval palazzi on its sides. The wide flight of steps, the Cordonata, lifted visitors up like a stone conveyor belt, bringing them in wonder to the center of municipal authority. In the piazza, the famous equestrian statue of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius found a new location and formed the glittering center of the composition. In all subsequent centuries, the Capitol was a must-see for all visitors to Rome. Travellers who visited Rome on the Grand Tour in the 19th century liked to bring home micromosaics with views of the city as souvenirs: this detailed pendant with a malachite frame and gold setting probably also found its way across the Alps as a souvenir in a traveller's luggage to tell those at home of the beauty of the Eternal City. A diamond rose in a black enamelled frame forms the receptacle for a gold chain, which we have added in a modern way. A wearable piece of Rome.

Estimate:$1,673.2

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