Table - polychrome marbles - Inlaid marble piano.

INLAID MARBLE TABLETOP WITH POLYCHROME MARBLES.
ROME, LATE 16TH – EARLY 17TH CENTURY
Base in carved wood from an eclectic late 19th-century period

Description:
Tabletop in marble with polychromatic rectangular inlays crafted with a decorative scheme based on geometric ornamentation; the overall scenic effect is achieved through the exclusive use of precious marbles and stones of archaeological origin, a practice customary in Roman workshops at the end of the 16th century. The geometric layout is fairly complex, featuring a classical central panel surrounded by rich peripheral decoration. The large central octagonal panel is in green breccia (Marmo di Tessaglia); followed by an outer band with multilinear profiles in white marble forming successive panels with four corner cartouches, containing different breccias and colored marbles. At the corners of the central octagonal panel and of the four peripheral corner panels are small floral decorations in polychrome marbles finely shaded in light and dark.
The heavy inlaid top rests on a beechwood base stained walnut, specifically created at the end of the 19th century in an eclectic milieu, with four vertical supports depicting fantastical zoomorphic creatures, similar to griffins or chimeras, connected to the base by a sturdy crosspiece; the four peripheral bands linking the supports at the top are carved with floral motifs.
The technique of pietre dure and that of table inlays (intarsio) have met with great success across Europe starting from the late 16th century and found their birthplace and principal production in Rome and Florence. In these two cities, from the 1570s onward, tabletops decorated with polychromatic marbles represented interior decoration in high demand for cardinal and noble patronage, such as the Medici or the Borghese, and are regarded among the finest examples of Renaissance and Mannerist applied arts.
It is not always easy to determine with absolute certainty whether a table is Florentine or Roman in origin when decorated with polychromatic marbles; both traditions share the use of archaeological marbles and a taste for aniconic compositions not unlike stone inlay. Not by chance, among the early authors of models for tables of this kind, in both Rome and Florence, are architects such as Vignola and Dosio, many of whose tabletop designs are preserved in the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe of the Uffizi.
In the case of our table, numerous elements suggest a Roman origin, starting with the technique, which excludes the Florentine composed or commesso technique in favor of inlay. Inlay, widely used in Rome and also known as opus sectile, is an ancient technique that involves carving the supporting white marble slab to create cavities; the sections of polychrome marble are inserted into the cavities and kept defined by the white marble strips (guides) of the support left visible. The process is also called ‘a cassina’ and is a more complex technique to execute compared to Florentine commesso, as the cells that receive the stone inlays must be carved with care to ensure a consistent level of undercutting.

Provenance Area:
Rome;

Era:
Last quarter of the 16th century / early 17th century;

Conservation status of marble top:
Good, with wear, scratches, small losses, flaws and restorations, as documented by the photos;

Conservation status of the table structure:
Excellent.

Dimensions:
Marble inlaid top: 85 x 96 cm, thickness 5 cm
Base in wood: 88 x 99 cm, height 81 cm

The buyer will be provided with the Certificate of Authenticity and Legitimate Provenance.
- Due to the delicacy and importance of the object, the buyer may collect in Pescara. For Italian buyers, delivery can be arranged in another method by agreement between the parties.
- For foreign buyers, export procedures must be completed before finalizing the sale.