{"product_id":"roman-cosmatesque-hardstone-table","title":"Roman Cosmatesque Hardstone Table","description":"Roman Cosmatesque Hardstone and Marble Table\u003cbr\u003e 12th Century \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A breathtaking relic of the High Middle Ages, this extraordinary Cosmatesque hardstone and marble table represents a rare fusion of ancient Roman grandeur and medieval Italian artistry, surviving intact for nearly 900 years. Almost certainly created for a church, palace or noble residence during the 12th century, the tabletop is composed of precious ancient Roman hardstones arranged in an intricate geometric mosaic. Monumental Cosmatesque works rarely leave their original architectural settings, making this table an exceptionally rare example of one of the Middle Ages’ most celebrated decorative arts. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brilliantly colored porphyry, serpentine and other prized Roman hardstones form the dazzling \u003cem\u003eopus sectile\u003c\/em\u003e mosaic. Each fragment carries the legacy of antiquity, salvaged by medieval craftsmen from the ruins of ancient Rome and originally quarried across the vast Roman Empire. By the High Middle Ages, many of these quarries had been exhausted or lost, making the stones precious remnants of the ancient world. The richly patterned design exemplifies the coveted Cosmatesque style, named for the celebrated Cosmati family of Roman craftsmen, whose work adorned the churches and palaces of popes, kings and noble patrons. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Cosmati workshops transformed fragments of ancient monuments into some of Europe’s most magnificent pavements, altars and furnishings. Their distinctive geometric compositions became synonymous with the finest ecclesiastical commissions of medieval Italy. Perhaps the most famous surviving example is the Cosmatesque pavement of Westminster Abbey, installed in 1268 beneath the Coronation Chair and used in royal coronations for more than seven centuries. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The tabletop is now set upon a handsome marble base, dating to the 17th or 18th century. The survival of such an important composition in table form is exceptionally rare, offering collectors a museum-worthy work that bridges classical antiquity and medieval Europe. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 31 1\/4\" high x 46\" wide x 47 1\/4\" deep","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45390941880455,"sku":"32-2128","price":188500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2128_1_c9e34d3b-6b7c-4d01-ba99-e07217dc663c.png?v=1785792065","url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/products\/roman-cosmatesque-hardstone-table","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}