THE IMAGE of the dove as a peace-bringer is rooted in antiquity. The symbolism resonated with Grand Tour travelers steeped in Classical ideas and post-Napoleonic nostalgia. The educated traveling elite would have picked up a souvenir like this dove with flowers in its talons at one of the micromosaic workshops near the Vatican in the 19th century.
MATERIALS: 14k gold (marked), glass tesserae, new 14k gold chain
AGE: c. 1880
CONDITION: Very good - minor surface wear commensurate with age and use
SIZE: 1" length including the bale, 5/8" width, 18" chain