Pietra dura facts for kids

Pope Clement VIII in pietra dura

Altar frontal of Italian opera di commessi, Dubrovnik Cathedral.

Floral 'Parchin kari' work in the Taj Mahal, with precious and semi-precious stones.

Pietra dura is a special art form. It uses carefully cut and polished colored stones to make beautiful pictures. The name "pietra dura" comes from Italian and means "hard stone."

Artists glue each stone piece by piece onto a base. They cut the stones into different shapes. Then, they fit them together so perfectly that you can barely see the lines between them. To make the artwork strong, they often groove the bottom of the stones. This makes them fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. A frame around the edge holds everything in place. Many different colored stones are used, especially marble. Artists also use semiprecious and even precious stones.

What is Pietra Dura?

Pietra dura is a type of mosaic art. It uses natural stones to create detailed pictures. These pictures can show flowers, animals, or scenes. The stones are cut very precisely. They fit together without any gaps. This makes the artwork look like a painting made of stone.

Where Did Pietra Dura Start?

This amazing technique first appeared in Rome in the 16th century. It became very popular in Florence, Italy. That's where it reached its highest level of skill. Pietra dura pieces are usually made on a base of green, white, or black marble. Most finished pieces are completely flat. But some examples have the picture slightly raised, which is called low relief.

How is Pietra Dura Different from Mosaics?

Pietra dura is often confused with other stone art forms. However, it has some key differences:

• Stone Size: In pietra dura, the stones are usually much larger than in regular mosaics.
• Stone Shape: Each stone is cut to a specific shape. This shape fits its exact place in the picture. In mosaics, stones are often all about the same size and shape.
• No Grout: Pietra dura pieces do not use grout to hold the stones together. Mosaics typically use grout.
• Portability: Many pietra dura artworks can be moved. Mosaics are often fixed to walls or floors.

What About Florentine Mosaic?

The English term "Florentine mosaic" is sometimes used. This term often refers to the work of Giovanni Montelatici (1864-1930). He was a famous Italian artist from Florence. His beautiful artworks were sold all over the world to tourists and collectors.

Pietra Dura vs. Micromosaics

Pietra dura is also different from micromosaics. Micromosaics use very tiny pieces of stone called tesserae. These small pieces are all the same size. They were used to create images for Byzantine icons. Later, they were used for furniture panels.

Images for kids

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  Detail of design with roses over crossed canes, 1882

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  Pietra dura detail with semiprecious stones inlaid into white marble at the Tomb of Jahangir in Lahore.

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  Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb in Agra, is decorated with arabesques and geometric patterns.

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  10th century Byzantine panel with Aelia Eudocia

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  Altar in Milan, concentrating on the natural patterns of the stone

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  19th century French sideboard with relief pietra dura panel

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  Detail of table top in Venice, by the Grand-ducal workshop in Florence; Orpheus charms the animals

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  Very fine contemporary example of parchinkari from Agra, India. 19,444 semi-precious stones were individually cut and inlaid in white marble to create this item.

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  Florentine pietra dura panel created by Giovanni Montelatici in the late 1800s

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  Fine example of contemporary parchinkari white marble inlaid box made in Agra, India using similar techniques to those used for the Taj Mahal. 5604 semi-precious stones were inlaid to make this item.

See also

In Spanish: Pietra dura para niños