This extraordinary table is beautifully crafted with cartouches of micromosaic tiles depicting nine famous Roman sites and a border with four doves. A band of precious malachite surrounds the central "picture" of St. Peter's Square. Set on a fine painted and carved wooden base this table is a remarkable example of the very finest of the mosaic craftsman’s art.

Glorious mosaics of unprecedented beauty and complexity enjoyed great popularity among the ancient Romans who decorated their homes with massive mosaic masterpieces. The art of the mosaic re-emerged during the 18th and 19th centuries, most notably in the workshops of the Vatican, finding favor among the surge of affluent tourists making their requisite Grand Tour across Eur