Parthenon Micromosaic Pendant

This one-of-a-kind necklace is composed of:

• Victorian Micromosaic dress pin from the late 1800s featuring a depiction of the Parthenon created with tiny pieces of glass. Created in Italy, this piece was sourced in England.

• This necklace measures a standard 18” on a 14k gold filled chain, with the pendant measuring 1" in width.

THE HISTORY

Micromosaics are a special form of mosaic that uses unusually small mosaic pieces of glass to make small figurative images. This technique goes back to ancient Roman times where the oldest surviving mosaics include some very finely worked panels from the ruins of Pompeii. 

Wearing micromosaic jewelry became popular during the Grand Tour period (17th–19th century). Members of rich European families would travel around Europe, taking in the sights and cultures of different countries. Italy was a popular tourist spot as it had a long and prestigious history in arts and culture — a favorite subject in aristocratic circles. 

Mosaic work jewelry of this period usually depicted famous Italian landmarks such as the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica, though occasionally Roman mythology was a subject too. The richest tourists would commission their own mosaics, with animals and famous works of art being favorite subjects. The small size of the micromosaic was appealing; micromosaics could be worn on the Grand Tourists' continuing journey, or sent back home to loved ones as a kind of fore-runner to modern postcards.

Micromosaic jewelry later fell out of fashion in the 1870s.