However, the design of this particular tabletop, which is probably Roman circa 1680, represents a complete departure from this tradition in that it is a pure interpretation in mosaic of ancient marble, possibly Egyptian alabaster or giallo antico. We know of no other comparable example and, as such, believe this top to be probably unique.

Egyptian alabaster was one of the stones most highly prized by the ancient Romans, and was largely employed in the making of canopic jars, statues, ritual objects and sarcophagi. “Alabaster” of ancient civilizations describes calcium carbonate (sometimes referred to as calcite-alabaster, travertine, or limestone onyx). The layers of Egyptian alabaster, formed by deposits in limestone caverns or calcareous springs, create a banded appearance in the stone. It occurs in three forms: an opaque, milky appearance; “fibrous, coloured in shades of pale brown or yellowish to orangish-brown with faint to marked layering;”1 and a combination of the two, which is possibly figured in the present tabletop.

The ebonized base, made in the 19th century, is reminiscent of mid-17th century designs for drawer-leaf tables found in both the Netherlands and Sweden.

Figure 1: Italian Inlaid Marble Tabletop. Carlton Hobbs LLC.

Our recent exhibition, “On Tops,” included a 19th century Italian table with geometric inlaid marble top (figure 1). The design for the top appeared to be based on 15th- and 16th-century Moresque decorative motifs found in Andalusia, which include arabesque designs and geometric patterns consisting of stars, ziggurats, and interlocking circles. The repeating designs on the present tabletop recall marble floors and tiles produced at this time. Another related source is found in the rich Sicilian-Moorish decoration of Caserta Vecchia’s 12th-century cathedral, where an arabesque design in various marbles features a similar color scheme as the present top, with a black background and complex interlaced white marble bands framing yellow and red star shapes.

Figure 2: Wall decoration in apsidal chapel in Orvieto Cathedral, Italy.

Further to our own research, we’ve just gotten a very exciting email from our friend, Dr. Anna Maria Massinelli, a leading art historian and expert on pietre dure. Dr. Massinelli was passing through Orvieto, Umbria, Italy this week and emailed us a photo of one of the apsidal chapels of the Orvieto Cathedral taken with her cell phone. She writes: “Look at the wall decoration…does this remind you of anything?” Yes, it sure does! We found a clearer image of the wall using Flickr, which you can see in figure 2. Thank you, Anna Maria!

Wall decoration in apsidal chapel in Orvieto Cathedral, Italy.

Orvieto Cathedral was built over three centuries, beginning in 1290. It began as a Romanesque cathedral, built to a design by Arnolfo di Cambio (architect of the Duomo in Florence), but evolved into a Gothic structure in the next hundred years. Both the façade and interior were completed circa 1600. Most of the ten semi-circular side chapels were painted by the fresco artist Girolamo Muziano and his pupil Cesare Nebbia in the last half of the 16th century, though the majority of their work was lost during a 19th century restoration.

We are still looking into whether this chapel served a particular family or guild. If you know, please feel free to share!

Exquisite Scagliola Tabletop Depicting a Scene from the Hunt

We have so far introduced a number of tabletops that use stone as their primary decorative ingredient, whether it be the tesserae of mosaic or pietre dure of marble inlay. An new art form that ensued was Scagliola, where imitation stone is created by combining ground selenite with water, animal glue and natural pigments. The resulting mixture is spread or, once hardened, carved into and engraved with a particular design. Finally, it is heavily polished to give the appearance of marble.

The name “scagliola” derives from the Italian word scaglia, meaning “chips,” and though it was taken up with élan in Italy, the technique is thought to have originated in 16th century Bavaria by Blasius Fistulator. He and his son Wilhelm constructed scagliola panels for the famous Reiche Kapelle in Munich for Maximillian I, Duke of Bavaria (1573-1651).

Munich scagliola owes much to Flemish painting and it is clear that the hunting scene depicted on the present tabletop is derived from a Dutch or Flemish old master such as Jan Wildens. Wildens was a Flemish Baroque painter active in Antwerp and Italy, famous for his gentle landscapes (figured below). Landscapes of the Rhineland and its environs share many of the same characteristics: a tree-lined path extending from the foreground beside a river and a distant town in the background. The scenes are often populated by farmers, shepherds, or hunting parties. In the present tabletop, a hunt is taking place in a valley to the left, while two gentlemen on horseback are attended by two servants, one with hounds and the other holding the cadge on which rest the birds used in falconry. There is also an “informality and anecdotal atmosphere” often found in Netherlandish hunting portraits.

"Landscape with Hunters" by Jan Wildens, 1649. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna; http://bilddatenbank.khm.at/viewArtefact?id=2125.

"Landscape with Hunters and Dogs" by Jan Wildens. Adler, Wolfgang. Jan Wildens. Fridingen: Graf Klenau Verlag, 1980. 179.

Italian. Circa 1825.

Height: 21″ (53 cm); Diameter: 47 1/2″ (120 cm).

This extraordinary pietre dure and marble top is set with rare stones depicting symbols and images significant to the secret cult of Freemasonry, “an Anglo-Saxon creation first transplanted to Florence in 1733… The Masonic principles of nonsectarianism and abstract belief in a “Great Architect of the Universe” were viewed as an intolerable threat by Pope Clement XII, who issued the first papal edict that ordered excommunication of any Catholics who became Masons.” At the time at which this piece was made, Italian Freemasons were particularly concerned with the ideals of Liberty, and played an active role in progressing the country’s struggle for unification and for freedom from both foreign and papal domination.

The octagonal shape of the tabletop is important as the octagon is derived from the “square upon square…one of the most ancient designs known” in Freemasonry. The architectural scene and devices of the present piece are also loaded with meaning. The significance of the various architectural elements of the temple, which forms the central motif of the present top, was explained by Bishop Guillaume Durand around 1290 when he wrote, “All the stones are polished and squared— that is holy and pure… the foundation is Faith, which is conversant with unseen things: the roof, Charity, which covereth a multitude of sins. The door, Obedience… The pavement, Humility.” Flanking the temple are two freestanding columns, the left-hand column a symbol of Creation, while the right hand column expresses Salvation. The Doric order of the columns symbolizes wisdom and strength. Inlaid above the Temple is a square combined with compasses, suggesting order, regularity, and propriety.

The border to the present top is filled with the working tools of a Mason, images used by Freemasons to express the principles upon which they strove to build a better world. The level, for example, implies equality, the square symbolizes morality, while the trowel “is used for the purpose of spreading the cement of the Brotherhood and affection which unites us in a sacred bond as a Society, against whom no contention should exist.”

We are still in the process of researching some of the symbols and any help would be much appreciated.

For information about footnotes and sources, please contact Carlton Hobbs LLC.

Visit our Flickr page to see a photo with additional descriptions.

A Tabletop Composed of a Section of a Septarian Nodule

We have just received the first image of one of the extraordinary tabletops that will be in our exhibition ‘On Tops’ in May!  This tabletop is made from a section of a septarian nodule, a remarkable type of geological formation also known as “turtle stone” for its characteristic pattern of radiating cracks.

Septarian nodules are created when the pores in a mass of sedimentary rock (often composed of fossils dating from the Cretaceous period, 50-70 million years ago) are filled in with jelly-like mineral deposits, which harden into a spherical or ovoid form.  The exact cause of the cracks, or septaria, that are found inside the nodules is something of a mystery; but their striking beauty is undeniable!

Septarian nodules have been found to be as large as 9 feet in diameter: the Moeraki Boulders of New Zealand were known to reach this size. Smaller concretions were found in the Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays along the Wessex Coast of England. It is likely that the present tabletop was made using a septarian nodule from this area.

Tabletop constructed from an ancient Roman floor mosaic.

We have made another exciting discovery while doing research for our upcoming exhibition on tabletops.

We will be presenting an early 19th century table whose top has actually been made from a second century AD Roman floor mosaic. It depicts a fish and a variety of abstract geometric shapes. In searching for comparable examples, we have recently discovered the Casa Rural das Ruínas (the Country House of the Ruins) an ancient Roman farm and villa at Milreu, Portugal (ancient Lusitania), built and expanded between the 1st and 4th centuries AD.

The fish mosaics in the Milreu frigidarium and nymphaeum (water sanctuary) are remarkably similar in design to our tabletop. The particular species of fish represented in the present top is likewise depicted in the Milreu mosaics, sharing analagous attributes. Furthermore both present top and the Milreu ruins depict identical geometric shapes and patterns, which include depictions of mollusk-like creatures and one particular shape, yet to be identified, which is comprised of a series of stacked lines terminating in a forked tail. We would be most grateful for any help in identifying the name and meaning of these strange “creatures.”

With such closely comparable imagery, there’s no doubt that our tabletop is a true ancient Roman treasure!

Floor mosaics in the Milreu Roman ruins.

Fish Mosaics in the Milreu Frigidarium.

Tabletop Inset with Parchin Kari Panels

One such center table to be exhibited comprises a specially constructed base (circa 1840) designed in the manner of English architect Richard Bridgens, and a top made from two 17th-century parchin kari panels. Parchin Kari is the Mughal word for pietre dure (or “hardstones”). The most famous building to feature this technique is the Taj Mahal, the finest example of Mughal architecture.

Frieze Panel in the Victoria and Albert Museum

We have recently been made aware of a strikingly similar parchin kari frieze panel currently in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Probably made in Agra, it dates from circa 1640 and contains a variety of semi-precious stones. Both the Carlton Hobbs tabletop and the V&A panel share strongly related strapwork and floral designs and a border of yellow and black inlaid lines surrounding them.

We are pleased to find that our tabletop belongs to a wonderful group of panels with such a distinct motif!