Italian Pietra Dura & Giltwood Centre Table (1865)

• Pietra Dura / Florentine Mosaic - Pietre dura, also known in English as "Florentine mosaic" is a decorative art that originated in Renaissance Italy and involves the creation of intricate, multi-layered inlaid designs using a variety of different coloured stones. The name "pietre dura" is Italian for "hard stones," and refers to the use of hard, durable materials such as marble, agate, jasper, and other semiprecious stones in the creation of the designs.
  
  The origin of pietre dura can be traced back to ancient Rome, where the technique was used to create intricate inlaid designs for mosaic floors, walls, and other architectural elements. During the Renaissance, the technique was revitalized in Italy and became particularly associated with the city of Florence. The court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de' Medici, was a major patron of pietre dura and employed many of the leading artists and craftsmen of the time to create a wide range of objects, from small items like jewelry boxes and vases to large panels and furniture.
  
  In the 19th century, pietre dura was used to create a wide range of decorative objects, from furniture and decorative panels to small items like jewelry boxes, vases, and picture frames. During this time, the technique was particularly popular in Europe, where it was used to create elaborate pieces of furniture and other decorative objects for the wealthy and aristocratic classes.
  
  In addition to traditional pietre dura objects like cabinets, tables, and vases, the 19th century saw the development of new forms of pietre dura, such as book covers, cigar boxes, and other small items. This was largely due to the advent of new, more affordable production techniques and materials, which allowed for the creation of pietre dura objects on a larger scale and at a lower cost.
• Giltwood - Giltwood is used to describe a gold finish on furniture and other decorative wooden items, whereby a thin sheet of gold metal, called gold leaf, is applied to the surface for decorative purposes.
  
  Unlike gilding, where the gold leaf is applied over a coating of gesso, with giltwood the gold leaf is applied direct to the surface, or over a coat of linseed oil gold leaf adhesive.
  
  Most gold-finished mirrors will be gilded, whereas furniture with gold highlights will have the gold applied through the giltwood method.
• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• furniture, material or decoration - pietra dura 28
• tables, Italian - Italian, centre and supper 25
• tables, purpose or type - centre 576