An Italian Pietra Dura Relief of the Madonna, Early 18th Century, Florence

RELATED LITERATURE

W. Koeppe and A. Giusti, Art of the Royal Court. Treasures of Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe (exh.cat.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2008

This beautifully carved relief is characteristic of the hardstone work, or pietre dure, made in Florence in the 17th and 18th centures. The Grand-Ducal workshops or the Galleria dei Lavori (and later the Opificio delle Pietre Dure) was established during the Renaissance by the Medici who had great passion for the luxurious works of art  that were created from these semi-precious and often rare stones. The vessels, small figures, reliefs and furniture were frequently given as diplomatic gifts.

Giuseppe Antonio Torricelli (1659-1719) was a sculptor of hardstones who was able to create a subtlety and delicateness in his carving that captured the attention of the Medici. He made numerous works for the Grand-Ducal workshops, both relief and three-demensional work, including the imperial cameo of Cosimo III. The present relief has a similar quality of carving and use of stones as several reliefs by Torricelli including the Reliquary of Saint Emeregildus (1717) in the Museo delle Cappelle Medicea, Florence and a holy-water stoup in the Museo dell'Opificio della Pietre Dure, Florence (see Art Treasures, op.cit., nos. 57 and 58).