Micromosaic lion brooch

Castellani is among the most celebrated of nineteenth-century Italian jewelers. While traveling Europe as part of the Grand Tour, many stopped at the shop of the Castellani family, known for their exquisite jewelry they were located just across from the Trevi Fountain. One of their specialties was micro-mosaic adornments. Although there were other Italian ateliers working in this medium, none rivaled the Castellani firm in intricacy, design, and craftsmanship. Known for their participation in ancient excavations outside Rome, the father and sons were deeply skilled in creating jewelry inspired by ancient Etruscan goldsmiths and incorporating historical iconography. This brooch features a circular micro mosaic panel depicting the head of a loin against a cream ground and set within gold frame flanked by two tied batons decorated with twisted gold wire. Coinciding with a wave of nationalism, jewelers sought to evoke the glorious past in ornaments that expressed artistic, as well as political, meanings. Rome's Castellani frim- ardent in its support of Italian unification - declared a "war on fashion," ceasing sales of high- style imported jewelry. Instead, they created their own works celebrating Italian history. The move cemented their reputation as Rome's premier retailer of revival ornaments. In that style, the imagery of this brooch may have been inspired by the lion's head of depicted on a Roman floor mosaic discovered in the House of Doves in Pompeii

In its founding years, the MFA added important ornaments by Castellani to the collection laying the foundation for what is today one of the world's best collections of nineteenth century revival jewelry. This exceptional micro-mosaic brooch joins just two other examples by Castellani - a black and white Maltese cross brooch with matching earrings and brooch featuring the hand of God holding a wreath, that is likely inspired by mosaics seen in Byzantine churches. Together with the other micro mosaics in the collection this brooch demonstrates the ingenuity of influences, exceptional skill of Castellani's craftsmanship.