The everlasting painting…
In her beautiful book, Annamaria Giusti, the leading author of hard stone marquetry, sums up its story :
“From 1588 in Florence, the Medici founded a prestigious manufacture dedicated to mosaics of hard stones called Commessi. Coral, garnet, sapphire, etc… were used. The manufacture has been successful for three centuries thanks to the virtuosity of the best specialists. Other factories opened their doors in Prague, at the court of Rudolph II of Habsburg and at the Goblins of the Sun King, before spreading to the kingdoms of Bourbon, in Naples and Madrid. An international language of the “Florentine mosaic” is developed, capable of creating works of absolute beauty in the field of decorative arts.”
Hard stone marquetry is a rare art which is no more than in a few highly specialized workshops. Cutting blocks and trimming fine stones is a long and meticulous work. The technique of marquetry of hard stones is using cut and adjusted coloured stones, finely polished to create images, like a marquetry using minerals instead of wood. This art meets decorating projects for a demanding clientele. The craftsman can be led to realise traditional decorative patterns but also contemporary creations where marquetry becomes a painting.
Sylvaine, whose creations you discover, exhume the pretty stones and transform them into works of art. She uses lapis-lazuli, tiger eye, jasper, jade, amethyst, onyx, aventurine, malachite… but also mother-of-pearl and gold. She has a fascination for Asian art, for Persian miniatures whose finesse, delicacy and great creativity she admires. She is also very attached to the theme of tales and legends in which the presence of animals is strong.
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The mosaic of hard stones is an object of art. For any project, do not hesitate to contact us, we are at your disposal to study your project. We are able to assist you in your custom project of wall decor, figurative or abstract marquetry, furniture or any other decorative object.
And to finish in style, we offer you a trip to the Geology et Minerology gallery (in Paris, inside the Jardin des Plantes) that we visited with our dear partner.
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