Micromosaic Depicting Beatrice Cenci, 19th Century

Enamel and glass tesserae on black stone ground; original gilt frame
An exquisite Roman micromosaic, of outstanding quality, depicting the famous portrait of Beatrice Cenci (1577–1599), the young Roman noblewoman sentenced to death for parricide and later celebrated as a symbol of innocence and martyrdom in the Romantic imagination.
The sitter is shown in a three-quarter pose, turning back towards the viewer, her face framed by a white turban and drapery. The minutely cut tesserae render with remarkable naturalism the softness of the fabrics and the delicate tones of her complexion. On the reverse, an inscription reads “Beatrice Cenci d’après Raphaël”, although the traditional attribution of the model is to Guido Reni (whose painting is preserved in the Barberini collection, Rome).
The portrait is set within a green faux-malachite border against a glossy black background, a typical feature of micromosaic plaques made for connoisseurs and Grand Tour collectors in the first half of the 19th century.
Its original gilt frame enhances the work’s precious and collectible character.