Painting with Stone: Materials, Methods and Traditions in Pietre Dure

Talk by Dr. Ruth Siddall (University College London)

Abstract:
The talk will introduce the history, techniques and materials used in the decorative art of pietre dure (hard stone work). Almost every stately home and museum has a table-top or other object decorated with pietre dure and yet the craftmanship and materiality of the technique has been one of the most disregarded topics of study within the decorative arts. The technique of making patterns with coloured stones began in Antiquity and then found a renaissance in 15^th Century Europe and was used equally for adorning large objects of furniture and small items such as stuff boxes and jewellery. The technique remained popular until the 19^th Century in Europe and continues to be used in architecture and the decorative arts in Asia and particularly in India. The choice of stones used often has a specific connection to the workshops and therefore a knowledge of decorative stones used is essential for assigning a provenance to works made using the pietre dure technique.

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