SQUARED PIETRA DURA TABLETOP. MARBLE AND HARDSTONES.

Square tabletop. Marbles and hard stones. Inspired by Italian models from the 16th and 17th centuries. A frame of simple geometric elements and white oval shields, accompanied by architectural details, highlights the central decorative motif thanks to its light tones. Set against a dark background, this motif consists of vegetal scrolls and flowers arranged inwards with lines, camouflaged by stems, so that despite the abundant decoration, the four-petaled flower at its center stands out. The "hardstone work" employed on this table is very similar to marquetry, but uses marbles and stones with a hardness greater than 6 on the Mohs scale. The idea originated in Florence, as an attempt to revive a type of mosaic used in Ancient Rome called "opus sectile" during the Medici era. It was so successful that other workshops soon emerged in Europe, most notably the Gobelins Manufactory in France, the Royal Workshop of Naples, and the one established by Charles III at the Royal Palace of El Buen Retiro in Madrid, which closed at the beginning of the 19th century. This example is a continuation of that tradition. Stylistic influences are also evident. While initially there was a wide variety of decorative elements in these stone marquetry pieces, from around 1600 onwards naturalistic motifs gained prominence, becoming increasingly diverse over time to include butterflies, birds, fruits, and more. Compare this example with those preserved in the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, the Roman chessboard from between 1565 and 1590 in the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid (inventory CE 27144), or the anonymous Roman chessboard from before 1636 (O00470) in the Prado Museum.

· Size: 120x120 cms.