Paesina
Rock
Literally translating as “landscape stone,” paesina pietra is an ancient marvel of nature. Created 40-50 million years ago, picturesque scenes that often mimic those seen in everyday life were formed within limestone rock. Seen in a variety of colors and an infinite number of designs, these sedimentary stones were created as the earth shifted, forming fractures in the limestone. Composed primarily of compressed limestone and clay that formed in seabeds, it was the infiltration of iron and manganese hydroxide that created their variety of scenic patterns and array of colors. Paesina pietra has been collected as an objet d 'art since the 17th century throughout Europe. Highly regarded as a decorative accent, the stones were displayed prominently in European royal courts, including those of France, Germany, and England.
General Information
Paesina Colors
-
Black -
Multi-color -
Gray -
Brown -
Blue -
Green
Alternate Names
Paesina Pietra , Landscape Stone
Countries of Origin
Unknown; Italy
History
In the 16th century, the famed Medici family of Florence purchased a quarry that produced a beautiful black variety of this stone. They had slabs of the stone set into furniture and decorative objects. Flemish artists of the period especially liked using the paesina pietra as their canvas for their paintings of people and animals. In the 1900’s, paesina pietra became highly collectible and early furniture designs with these picturesque inlays are still very collectible today.
Care
Limestone is soluble in hydrochloric acid.