Scagliola on Slate of Mediterranean Warships

An extraordinary record of the warships of the Mediterranean is on display in this remarkably rare work of Italian artistry. The twelve ships are detailed and labeled in separate panels, each of which are fine examples of the art of scagliola. A form of imitation marble crafted from a mixture of marble chips, plaster of Paris, and glue, scagliola was first described by the Roman architect Vitruvius in the first century BC, and its revival took place during the Renaissance. Much like the Italian art of pietre dure, scagliola took advantage of the ancient Roman marble destroyed during the Middle Ages, as artisans utilized the marble dust to form their luminescent scagliola pastes. This 18th-century example embodies the illusionistic possibilities of the material and beautifully incorporates its marble-like patterns and hues into the charming seascapes. Set into a black slate panel, their vibrant colors and stunning detail has amazingly remained intact in the three centuries since its creation.

The lower right scagliola panel dedicates the piece to "Il Cavaliere Francisco Ravattizi", Chief Commander of the Royal Fleet.

Dated "Livourne, 1799"

25 1/4" high x 45" wide x 2 1/2" deep