A FINE 19TH CENTURY ROMAN MICROMOSAIC PANEL DEPICTING A FLORAL SPRAY BY CESARE ROCCHEGGIANI, ROME of circular form, depicting roses and pansies set in a black ground, in original gilt bronze circular frame with pierced C scroll border, the reverse with silk backing with gilt lettering signed 'C. ROCCHEGGIANI ROMA',  34cm diameter Cesare Roccheggiani was a master mosaicist employed at the Vatican workshops from 1856 to 1864. Once he had built his reputation he set up his own workshops at  125 Via Babuino and then, by 1874, at 14 & 15 Via Condotti. Although there were numerous micromosaic workshops established in Rome, Rocceggiani's was one of the most highly regarded and specialised in very large scale works which were extremely costly and time consuming to produce. An example of his work in the Victoria and Albert Museum, on loan from  the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection, Museum No. GILBERT.955-2008. A very large micromosaic by Roccheggiani depicting the Roman Forum was sold at Christie's, London, 2 December 2014, lot 109, £290,500.