From the earliest antiquity, stone was considered the “dwelling place” of divinity

Opificio delle Pietre Dure

Florentine “salesman” and the art of wonderment

From the earliest antiquity, stone was considered the “dwelling place” of divinity, which explains why hard stones were always used not only for their beauty, but for the secret power that each of them contained. The Medici had well understood that each stone was capable of conveying forces that came fromI the supernatural world and decided to use them to compose artifacts of great artistic value.

With Francesco I de’ Medici, the fashion for vases and furnishings made of semi-precious stones became established, and the technical groundwork was laid for the birth of the Florentine “commesso,” ingenious stone painting that made use of the natural hues of the stones, cut into sections and skillfully juxtaposed, to create an incredible overall image. The Opificio delle Pietre Dure collects all this knowledge in its rooms, and observing the quality of the materials, the subtlety of the execution technique, will be an engaging experience.

The visit will continue in the “Mosaici Lastrucci” workshop in Via dei Macci where we will be able to observe live how from one or more stones this “art of wonder” can be made.

For informations contact:

cell. +393407039834

email: firenzealchemica@gmail.com