After Aguatti, a late 18th to early 19th Century unmounted rectangular micro mosaic plaque, the black glass inset with a depiction of a spaniel walking along a path, composed of fine curved and multicoloured tesserae, possible C A signature to base, length 4.5cm x 3.6cm, S/D. Notes: Antonio Aguatti (also known as Aquatti) came from a dynasty of highly successful mosaicists working in Rome during the late 18th Century and into the first half of 19th Century. Celebrated as one of the earliest mosaicists in miniature, he was also amongst the first of these artists to utilize tiny spun 'smalti' for inlaying (the Italian term meaning the enamel material composing micro-mosaic tesserae made at the Vatican workshop). Unlike Clemente Ciuli a contemporary mosaicist pre-eminent in monochrome work in miniature, Aguatti developed improvements in the pulled canes, both in shaping them and in combining different shades within a single cane. These shaded and curved tesserae added depth and movement to the animals depicted, especially when placed in different directions. Cesare Aguatti was active in Rome during the last half of18th Century. He was active under Giuvanni Angelo Braschi at the Vatican Mosaic workshop and undertook various commissions including Prince Marcantonio Borghese to create tall vertical mosaic panels incorporating colourful animals for the Hall of Emperors of the Villa Borghese in Rome in 1784-5. His relation to Antonio Aguatti has not been established. Literature: The Gilbert Collection, Micro-mosaics, Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel, pub. Philip Wilson p. 39, 40, 281.

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