INB104c Intarsia Box
INB104c Intarsia Box
This rounded square box contains layered stone thinly cut and fitted together and a landscape scene on the top of the box.
The scene is made of Nature's Paintbrush stone, outlined with white Magnesite.
The interior and bottom are made of African Queen Picture Jasper.
Magnets hold the top closed and aligned.
2" x 2" x 0.75"
Intarsia: The Gem Shop’s owner, 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 here. Each center stone piece available here was carefully chosen and cut by Gene, himself over an 8 month period. For thousands of years artisans have been layering stone striving to create the most beautiful scene possible. This process is commonly referred to as Intarsia. Intarsia traces its history back to Italy and the Renaissance where it is 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. It first appeared in Rome in the 16th century, reaching its full maturity in Florence. 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.
