Table - Marble - Inlaid piano

PIANO WITH POLYCHROME MARBLES.
ROME, LATE 16TH – EARLY 17TH CENTURY
Wood carved base from an eclectic late 19th-century period

Description:
Table top in marble with polychrome inlays of rectangular shape, worked with a decorative layout in the geometric ornamental lexicon; the overall scenic effect is achieved by using exclusively marbles and c stones of archaeological provenance, a practice common in Roman workshops of the late 16th century. The geometric scheme is quite complex, featuring a classic central reserve surrounded by rich peripheral decoration. The large central octagonal reserve is in verde breccia (Thessalian marble); followed by an external band with irregular, multiform profiles in white marble forming successive reserves with four corner cartouches, containing different breccias and colored marbles. At the corners of the central octagonal reserve and of the four peripheral angular reserves there are small floral decorations in polychrome marbles finely chiaroscuro. The heavy inlaid top rests on a beech wood base stained walnut, specifically created at the end of the 19th century in the eclectic milieu, with four vertical supports representing fantastic zoomorphic creatures, similar to griffins or chimeras, connected to the base by a robust crosspiece; the four peripheral bands linking the supports above are carved with floral motifs.
The technique of inlay and that of parquetry on hard stone planes achieved great success all over Europe starting from the late 16th century and find their birthplace and main production in the cities of Rome and Florence. In these two cities, from the 1570s onward, tables with polychrome marble tops, represented the interior furnishing form most requested for monumental commissions from cardinal and noble patrons, such as the Medici or the Borghese, and are considered among the highest examples of Renaissance and Mannerist applied arts.
It is not always easy to identify with absolute certainty the Florentine or Roman origin of a table executed with polychrome marble decorations; both traditions share the use of archaeological marbles and a taste for compositions without figurative imagery not unlike stone inlays in architecture. Not by chance, among the first authors of models for tables of this kind, in both Rome and Florence, are architects such as Vignola and Dosio, many of whose table-top projects are preserved in the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe of the Uffizi.
In the case of our table top, numerous elements suggest a Roman work, starting from the technique, which excludes the Florentine composed or commesso technique in favor of inlay. Inlay, widespread in Rome and also known as opus sectile, is an ancient technique that provides for the chipping of the supporting white marble slab to create cavities; the sections of polychrome marble are inserted into the cavities and remain outlined by the white marble strips of the support left visible. The process is also called ‘a cassina’ and is a more complex technique to execute than Florentine commesso, because the cells that receive the stone tessellations must be carefully carved, ensuring the same level of undercutting is always obtained.

Provenance Area:
Rome;

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

Marble top condition:
good, showing wear, scratches, small losses, defects and restorations, as documented in the photos;

Table structure condition:
good.

Dimensions:
Polished marble top: 85x96 cm, thickness 5 cm
Wood base: 88x99 cm, height 81 cm

The purchaser will receive a Certificate of Authenticity and Lawful Provenance.
- Due to the delicacy and importance of the object, the buyer is allowed to pick up in Pescara. For Italian buyers, delivery can be arranged in another mode by agreement between the parties.
- For foreign buyers, export procedures must be completed before delivery.