Artworks made of carefully cut, polished and tightly-assembled stones is ancient, indeed. Ambitious works—geometric patterns on floors or intricate images on walls—have been found from Ancient Rome. But the Italian Renaissance—specifically in Sixteenth Century Florence—is where Pietre Dure reached its artistic high point. Popes, dukes and other aristocrats supported the art form with schools, guilds and expensive commissions. Church floors, altars, walls and tombs were covered with varieties of pietre dure works: geometric patterns, still life renderings, portraits and ambitious scenes. Some of the smaller Florentine works were exported around the world. When some reached India, Mughal rulers had local artists adapt the art form into their aesthetic—which they called Parchinkari. The Taj Mahal is decorated with astounding parchinkari works.
The familiar name "pietra dura" means, literally, "hard stone." Today the plural form, "pietre dure" has become more common, meaning "hard stones."
The burled walnut dresser box, shown here, is topped with a pietre dure lid. A floral spray, surrounded with geometric framing, is executed in handsome, brown and black stones. The city, Karlsbad, is written on a banner under the flowers. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome box.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
To arrange a visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only), please call 917-446-4248.