Birds and Flowers

 

Unidentified
Italy
Birds and Flowers, c.1890s
micromosaic
Donated by Chief Justice White

Now a "lost art," Italian micromosaics, such as this stunning tabletop now on view in Carroll Parlor, were once produced to satisfy an avid demand on the continent and for foreign travelers. Gradations in color and tone, almost as subtle as that possible with oil painting, were achieved by thousands of tiny pieces of glass inlaid in black marble.