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A pair of very fine, large Italian Pietra Dura marquetry panels

Offered by: Mayfair Gallery

Description
A pair of very fine, large Italian Pietra Dura marquetry panels
Italian, 19th Century
Panels: height 64cm, width 53cm, depth 2cm
Frames: height 88cm, width 77cm, depth 6cm

Comprising black marble panels of oval form, set with semi precious stones, these exceptional panels are inlaid to depict a bouquet of flowers in antique vases, and have subsequently been mounted in ornate carved giltwood frames.

'Pietra dura' is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly-polished colored stones to create images, equivalent to wooden marquetry. Each work is usually assembled loosely in the preliminary stages of design, and then glued stone-by-stone and assembled together to create a chosen image. Often Italian makers were so skilled and the technique was so precisely and masterfully applied that the boundary between each piece is practically invisible, were it not for changing tones of the various precious stones.

The technique first saw use in Rome in the 16th Century and it reached full maturity in Florence in the 19th century: works are often referred to as Florentine pietra dura due to this association. It has been superbly utilised here to create these remarkable antique decorative pieces: fine works of craftsmanship, elegant pieces of design, and appropriately mounted in a proportionately sumptuous giltwood frame.

More Information

Origin:	Italy
Period:	19th Century
Materials:	Giltwood, Marble, Pietra Dura.
Styles / Movements:	Traditional
Dealer Reference #:	13048
Incollect Reference #:	635168

Dimensions

W.	30.31 in;	H.	34.65 in;	D.	2.36 in;
W.	77 cm;	H.	88 cm;	D.	6 cm;

Message from Seller:

Mayfair Gallery is a leading gallery in the field of art and antiques, holding a large collection of unique pieces for sale. The breadth of the gallery’s collection is wide, and includes items from a range of periods, styles and geographical origins, as well as works by famous artists and craftsmen. The main focus of the gallery’s collection is, however, on items produced during the 19th and early 20th century.