''Commesso'', also referred to as Florentine mosaic, is a method of piecing together cut sections of luminous, narrow
gemstones
A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. Certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, a ...
to form works of art.
['']Encyclopædia Britannica
The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...
'' (1998). Art â€
"Commesso"
Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc. Accessed March 03, 2017. Precise patterns are cut into a slab of (generally black)
marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...
. Gems are then cautiously cut and meticulously inlaid into these patterns. The work is then
polished section by section, as it cannot be polished as a whole due to gems having different hardnesses.
The practice, which began in
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, Italy, dates back to at least the 14th century and gained prominence just before the 17th century.
Some of its uses include making pictures and decorating furniture and architecture.
Image gallery
See also
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Mosaic
A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...
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Florentine painting
Florentine painting or the Florentine school refers to artists in, from, or influenced by the naturalistic style developed in Florence in the 14th century, largely through the efforts of Giotto di Bondone, and in the 15th century the leading s ...
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Opificio delle pietre dure
The Opificio delle pietre dure, literally meaning "Workshop of semi-precious stones", is a public institute of the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage based in Florence. It is a global leader in the field of art restoration and provides teachin ...
References
Mosaic
Italian art
16th century in art
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