Micromosaics are mosaics made of very tiny tiles originally called smalti filati (meaning spun enamel in Italian) and now referred to as microtesserae. Works of art were often produced with microtesserae so small that 1,400 of the tiny tiles fit into each square inch. Micromosaic production was at its peak during the nineteenth century in Rome but died out as miniature glass mosaics became more popular towards the end of the century. Micromosaics, considered a fine art in Europe, were used to reproduce important paintings in order to preserve the works of art in a form that would not deteriorate over time. They were also used in jewelry, on small boxes and tabletops, and for small portraits. Skilled craftsmen and ingenious technicians developed the materials that made the art form possible.

The Classical Revival was a phenomenon that swept through Europe in the 18th and 19th Centuries. A new appreciation for antiquity and ancient art forms was fostered by discoveries in the nascent scientific field of archaeology. Perhaps the Classical Revival also reveals a latent longing towards the Arcadian lifestyles of yesterday abandoned as Europe became rapidly industrialized and increasingly urbanized. A butterfly flutters against a black background in this gorgeous ring. The hue of the gold ring complements the bright red and golden wings of the butterfly. Technology merged with antiquity to produce the unbelievably intricate art form of micromosaics, a harmonious marriage between the beauty of the past and the possibilities of the modernity.