Italian micromosaic of a peasant woman, Tarantoni

An Italian micromosaic panel of a peasant woman in a country landscape
attributed to Luigi Tarantoni, Rome
circa 1885

the panel 21 1/2 x 14 1/2in (54.5 x 37cm)
Provenance: with G. Petochi, Rome, 1987.
Property from the Collection of Mary and Lou Silver, Indian Wells, California.

Footnote: Luigi Tarantoni worked for the Vatican and had a private workshop. He used a variety of signatures, or none, sometimes only RFSP (Vatican workshop). Many of his works were after paintings by Enrico Tarenghi (1848-1938) of cavaliers or peasants on a country road, probably the Appian Way. Examples by Tarantoni are in the Gilbert Collection (see Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel, Micromosaics: The Gilbert Collection, 2000,no. 65 p. 114;no. 66 p. 125). Several examples of his cavaliers are found in private collections (see Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel, Micromosaics: Private Collections, 2016 (nos. 48-51, pp. 91-97). A female figure similar to the present mosaic, signed by Tarantoni was offered Sotheby’s New York, 29 October 2014, lot 189. Another related example sold Venduehaus, Hague, 15 May 2012, lot 378. A matched pair depicting peasant men, each bearing Tarantoni s signature sold Sotheby s New York, 20 April 2009, lot 57. A fine example is in the Savelli collection (see M. G. Branchetti, Mosaici minuti romani: Collezione Savelli, Ganglemi, Rome, 2004).
We would like to thank Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel for her assistance in cataloguing this piece.
www.micro-mosaic.com
Condition Report: Overall 28 3/4 x 21 3/4in. Generally good condition. Examined under black light. With scattered areas of small and minor restoration which glow more greenish under black light. Areas to figure and spotty areas to background. Very well matched to the naked eye. Plaque to back heavily corroded - Typografia Tiberina/Cavalier M A Barberi/Roma Strada Rosella 148.