This polished intarsia contains multiple layers of stone, with the center containing Montana Moss Agate, Green Moss Agate, Peruvian Blue Opal, and Turquoise; completed with a double border frame and black backing. The cabochon is constructed from 13 individual pieces.
The matrix of the Blue Opal plays a strong part in this piece, providing a colorful background of red and tan hills. Combined with the turquoise, it also creates a beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds. The next layer creates dense green foliage from the mossy inclusions in the agate. The top section of this slab is very clear, allowing for an additional layer of Montana Moss Agate to be placed over top without the image becoming foggy. The Montana Agate layer is also clear agate, providing a very even polish and a dendritic bird flying overhead.
Montana Moss Agate
Green Moss Agate
Peruvian Blue Opal
Turquoise
Black Basalt
Border:
Gray Jasper
Wildhorse Picture Jasper
46mm x 46mm
Intarsia: The Gem Shop’s founder, Eugene Mueller, has an MFA in painting and has won awards in the Cutting Edge Competition® for his intarsia, and has crafted and/or designed many of the pieces available here. For thousands of years artisans have been using stone, striving to create the most beautiful scene possible. This process is commonly referred to as Intarsia. Intarsia traces its history back to the Italian Renaissance, and was called pietra dura or pietre dure. This is a term for the inlay technique of using thinly cut and polished stones to create images. The stonework is glued stone-by-stone to a substrate after having previously been sliced and cut in different shape sections; and then assembled together so precisely that the contact between each section is practically invisible. Intarsia items are generally crafted on green, white or black base stones. Traditionally Intarsia pieces have a flat polish, but more contemporary pieces are more freeform and have a dome polish, and are often referred to as “composite cabochons.” Intarsia is a high expression of lapidary art requiring a close mastery. Each piece is eccentric and highly collectible – a true work of art.