An Italian micromosaic plaque mounted on slate

Representing the doves of Pliny, with engraved giltwood frame. The original mosaic plaque was found on the archaeological excavations at the Hadrian's Villa in the year 1793 (under Cardinal Giuseppe Alessandro Furietti). The mosaic takes his name from Pliny the Elder, who wrote the Natural Historia: "Mirabilis ibi columba bibens et aquam umbra capitis infuscans. Apricantur aliae scabentes sese in canthari labro" (There is a dove also, greatly admired, in the act of drinking, and throwing the shadow of it's heads upon the water, while other birds are to be seen sunning and pluming themselves, on the margin of a cantharus) , 19x24 cm.